When NHK surveyed 100 companies about the government's policy toward the realization of a carbon-free society in 2050, more than 70% of the respondents answered that they should have some conditions such as "government support". We can do it, "and many companies have shown their willingness to respond.
From December last year to the middle of last month, NHK conducted a survey of 100 domestic companies and asked them about their awareness of the realization of a carbon-free society that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero as a whole by 2050. ..
As a result, 13 companies answered that they could achieve it, and 65 companies answered that they could achieve it with government support and technical support, and more than 70% of the companies answered that they could achieve it.
On the other hand, 4 companies answered "It is difficult to achieve even with government support and technological innovation", 1 company answered "It is extremely difficult to achieve", and 13 companies answered "Other".
"No answer" was 4 companies.
In addition, when asked in multiple answers what they think is necessary for the realization of a carbon-free society, the most common answer was "dramatic review of power source composition" at 73 companies, followed by "expansion of hydrogen utilization" at 45 companies. "Promotion of investment in companies that are proactive in combating climate change" was 44 companies.
Of these, when asked by multiple answers which power source should be expanded to companies that answered "review of power source composition", "renewable energy such as solar power and wind power" was 97.3%, and "new energy such as hydrogen and ammonia". Was 69.9%, and "nuclear power" was 23.3%.
Utilization of renewable energy for electricity used in offices
Efforts have begun among major companies to realize a carbon-free society, such as by utilizing renewable energy for electricity used in offices.
Mori Building, a major real estate company, has begun supplying electricity using renewable energy such as solar power and wind power to companies and stores that move into "Roppongi Hills" operated in Roppongi, Tokyo as tenants.
Roppongi Hills originally uses LNG as fuel to generate electricity for the building, but the company also has a contract with another company that uses renewable energy to generate electricity, and it can be regenerated for tenants who want it. We supply electricity in the form of providing a "certificate" that indicates that electricity was generated with renewable energy.
Such electricity is more expensive than the electricity of the original building, but if the company prepares options that lead to decarbonization due to heightened environmental awareness, it will be one of the factors for companies and stores to decide to choose a building. I am thinking that five companies, including foreign financial institutions, are currently using electricity from renewable energy.
Masahiro Takeda, Chief of the Mori Building Environmental Promotion Department, said, "As people's work styles diversify, offices that can use renewable energy electricity will be an important factor for tenants to choose, and will not lead to decarbonization. Is it? "
Some companies have introduced their own carbon pricing system
Large companies are moving to reduce the burden on the environment of their businesses by "visualizing" greenhouse gas emissions by setting their own prices.
The mechanism that replaces greenhouse gas emissions with prices and "visualizes" the impact on the environment as costs is called "carbon pricing."
Typical mechanisms include a "carbon tax" that is levied according to the amount of emissions, and an emissions trading system that allows companies to set an upper limit on their emissions and buy and sell excess and deficiency with another company. Consideration is being made on whether to adopt this idea toward the realization of a carbon-free society.
On the other hand, major companies have begun to adopt the concept of carbon pricing to independently calculate the cost of their own emissions and the profits associated with emission reductions, and use them in their businesses.
Mitsui & Co., a major trading company, answered that it has introduced its own carbon pricing system in this NHK questionnaire.
We started operation at the business site from last year.
For example, when considering resource development such as gas fields or investment in power plants, greenhouse gas emissions are calculated together with sales and costs.
By visualizing the impact of the business on the environment as a cost that must be paid in the future, it will lead to the selection of investments that have less environmental burden.
Junya Nishikawa, Director of the Global Environment Office of Mitsui Bussan, said, "Opportunity to calculate the impact of a business on climate change issues and replace the impact on the environment with monetary amounts in order to visualize that we will not work on a business with a large impact. It is meaningful to consider both risk and risk. Decarbonization is an irreversible movement, and how to reflect it will lead to differences in the growth potential and responsiveness of the company, so we will take the difficulty as an opportunity and continue to work on it. I want to go. "
"We need the idea of increasing corporate value."
Hiroshi Inoue, a senior researcher at Mitsubishi Research Institute, Inc., who is familiar with environmental issues, said about the decarbonization efforts of Japanese companies, "At least it is hard to say that they are progressing. Japanese companies are actively working on decarbonization and increasing their corporate value. Global companies are eager to win high praise from investors and increase brand value by promoting decarbonization positively. They need to take the initiative to keep up with the trend. " I'm talking to you.
What goals are you working on to realize the "SDGs"?
In addition, in the questionnaire, we asked what kind of goals we are working on because the number of companies developing business with the aim of realizing the Sustainable Development Goals = "SDGs" set by the United Nations is increasing.
The "SDGs" set 17 goals for solving social issues such as poverty and climate change, but the largest number of companies are 70 companies working on the goal of "concrete measures against climate change". It was.
Twenty-eight companies are working on the goal of "cleaning energy for everyone," and specific measures include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and using renewable energy.
There are 33 companies with the goal of "creating a foundation for industry and technological innovation," and in addition to research on cutting-edge technologies such as autonomous driving, the development of unmanned technology to address labor shortages is a concrete initiative. I am.
In addition, 28 companies are working to create a comfortable working environment with the goal of "motivation to work and economic growth."
There were 26 companies each citing "responsibility to make and use" and "town development to continue living" using environment-friendly containers.