Global environmental preservation is one of the key issues that require solutions on a global scale in order to realize a sustainable society. Having identified as high priorities topics such as preventing global warming, building a sound material-cycle society, management of chemical substances, and biodiversity conservation, we are advancing efforts to lessen the environmental loads of both production activities and products themselves.

Preventing global warming:
The voluntary action plan of the electrical and electronics industry for reducing CO₂ emissions per basic unit of production in fiscal 2010 by 35% vs. the fiscal 1990 level. The industry has achieved its targets in this area by improving efficiency by an average of 48% over the five-year period from fiscal 2008 through fiscal 2012, the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. Under the next-generation post-Kyoto international framework, active efforts to prevent global warming on a global scale will continue, through promoting development of innovative technologies that will contribute to the realization of a low-carbon society at the same time as maintaining and improving industry competitiveness. Over the medium term through 2020, we are cooperating with the Japan Business Federation (Keidanren) in the new voluntary action of the Commitment to a Low-Carbon Society (improving energy efficiency in production processes, contributing to CO₂ emission reductions through products and services, and developing innovative technologies and using them to make contributions worldwide).

Management of chemical substances:
In the area of regulations on the chemical substances contained in products in overseas markets including Europe, North America, and China, we are providing accurate information to members and carrying out proactive lobbying activities. To care the risk of chemical substances at business sites in Japan, the electrical and electronics industry is advancing a voluntary action plan calling for reducing use of relevant substances in fiscal 2010 by 30% vs. the fiscal 2000 level. These efforts have achieved a massive reduction of 55.9 percent. Our goal is to maintain this level through fiscal 2015.

Building a sound material-cycle society:
To reduce wastes at business sites in Japan, the electrical and electronics industry is promoting a voluntary action plan calling for reducing final waste disposal volumes to 36,000 tons or less, and the percentage of wastes ultimately disposed of to 2% or less, by 2015. At present, these goals have been achieved. In the area of designing environment-conscious products and disclosing environmental information, life-cycle assessments are underway for major home appliances, with their results to be announced both in Japan and internationally. In addition, we are contributing to the preparation of provisional global rules on disclosure of environmental information such as footprints through participating in the preparation of IEC international standards and in a pilot project organized by the European Commission.

Biodiversity conservation:
With the establishment of the National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan 2012-2020, intended to achieve the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, JEMA is raising awareness among and providing information to its member companies through development of training materials and awareness-raising tools on preservation of biodiversity and holding related seminars, as well as considering medium-term policies for the industry through examining the relationship between the industry and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.