CIAB Market & Policy developments 2005/06 - IEA

Japan
279. Power station operations have not been affected, although the emission standard for
zinc in discharged water was strengthened in November 2006. The ambient air quality
standard for mercury is under discussion among government officials, but no
recommendations have yet emerged.
280. While no compulsory standard for CO 2 emissions has been introduced, each major
industry is encouraged to formulate and disclose a quantitative reduction target. In April
2007, the Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan (FEPC) adopted a revised
target of reducing by almost 20% its FY1990 average CO 2 emission intensity between
FY2008 and FY2012. In parallel, the Ministry of Environment (MoE) published the CO 2
emission intensity of each electricity retailer for the first time. The published data are
used by large business entities to calculate CO 2 emissions from their electricity
consumption and to report GHG inventories to the MoE. The CO 2 emission intensities
and GHG inventories continue to be updated annually from 2007.
South Africa
281. In the last year, progress has been made in the roll out of the National Environmental
Management Air Quality Act. A draft National Air Quality Framework document is
currently under development.
United Kingdom
282. The new EU Large Combustion Plant Directive comes into force in 2008. Currently there
is about 28GW of coal-fired power capacity in the UK and 20GW of plant with existing or
planned FGD has ‘opted in’ to the scheme. The remaining 8GW of ‘opted out’ coal plant
will close by 2016 and is still subject to environmental emission limits until that time.
“Opted out” will tend to favour use of coals with lower sulphur and nitrogen contents, with
potential impacts on the sources of coal imported into Europe from 2008.
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