Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Planetary Health Project has submitted public comments on the ‘Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures (Draft)’ by the Low-carbon Society Promotion Office, Policy Planning Division, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment. (The call for public comments is now closed.)

The Global Warming Countermeasure Plan is the Japanese government’s comprehensive plan based on the Act on Promotion of Global Warming Countermeasures. The current plan was revised in October 2021 for the first time in five years, following the government’s announcement in April 2021 of its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 46% by FY2030 (compared to FY2013 levels) and to continue striving toward an even higher reduction of 50%.

The Paris Agreement requires each country to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on post-2035 climate targets in 2025, and the discussions surrounding the revision of the Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures are directly linked to Japan’s NDCs.

In recent years, more countries have incorporated health perspectives into their NDCs. By 2022, 91% (175 out of 193 countries) had included health considerations. Additionally, some NDCs in Asian region and among G7 countries (21 nations, 11% of the total) have included specific measures for GHG reduction and adaptation in the healthcare sector to protect public health. However, Japan’s NDC still lacks any reference to health.

In light of the above, HGPI has submitted a public comment that includes the following key points:

Key points of the public comment

• Explicitly state the broad impacts of climate change on health as a fundamental reason for climate action
• Emphasize the promotion of co-benefits that promote both mitigation and adaptation
• Aim to establish a climate-resilient, low-carbon and sustainable health system

Planetary Health Project also published recommendations for NDCs in December 2024: ‘Integrating Climate and Health for a Sustainable Society: Incorporating a Planetary Health Perspective into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)’.

For more information on this public comment, please click here (only available in Japanese).