A special government task force set up to curb global warming announced tentative guidelines Thursday that called for the promotion of nuclear energy as well as a daylight-saving time system as part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The guidelines are designed to provide specific measures for two proposed government bills expected to receive Diet approval during the current session.
The task force, which was set up in January and consists of top officials from 16 ministries and agencies, will finalize the official version of the guidelines before the end of the current Diet session in June, so as to prepare for the implementation of the two bills, Environment Agency officials said.
So far, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry has proposed a revised energy conservation bill, while the Environment Agency has proposed its own bill from a standpoint of reducing global warming. The two bills have already been submitted to the Diet and are expected to be enacted before the current session ends.
However, the bills only provide a basic framework for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. The task force has been working out more specific steps since January under the legal framework of the proposed bills. Thursday's guidelines call on industries to further increase energy efficiency, develop substitutes for chlorofluorocarbons and promote the planting of trees to absorb carbon dioxide emissions released into the air.
As for promoting nuclear energy, the officials said the number of nuclear reactors in use should be increased on condition that the government ensures their safety.