Earth Plan 2023: A Global Warming Prevention Strategy for Sewerage Systems

About Earth Plan 2023

This comprehensive plan addresses global warming by accelerating decarbonization efforts within sewerage systems. It integrates climate change mitigation and energy measures tailored to the unique characteristics of these systems, with the ultimate goal of achieving Carbon Half by 2030.

Purpose of the Project

The Bureau of Sewerage has been systematically promoting energy measures and global warming countermeasures based on the Earth Plan, a strategy for global warming prevention in sewerage systems, and the Smart Plan, an energy master plan.

In response to the escalating climate crisis and the accelerating push for decarbonization both domestically and internationally, the Bureau has developed a new comprehensive plan, "Earth Plan 2023." This plan reflects new policies from the national and Tokyo governments and incorporates insights from the "Committee on Global Warming Countermeasures Toward the Achievement of Carbon Half Sewerage," an organization of external experts. By integrating the previous Earth Plan and Smart Plan, Earth Plan 2023 aims to promote a unified approach to global warming countermeasures and energy strategies, leveraging the unique characteristics of sewerage systems to achieve its goals.

Targets and Initiatives to Achieve Carbon Half by 2030

Sewerage systems emit nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) as greenhouse gases, in addition to energy-derived carbon dioxide (CO2) from the use of electricity and fuel. Therefore, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is necessary to comprehensively consider the reduction of energy-derived CO2 and N2O, etc. and promote measures in an integrated manner. To this end, we have set the following targets.

Target for FY 2030

Plan period

From FY 2023 to FY 2030

Target

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50%

(Compared to FY 2000)

 

 

To achieve Carbon Half by 2030, we will accelerate our Earth Plan and Smart Plan initiatives and strengthen our efforts to introduce equipment developed with new technologies and promote further utilization of renewable energy.

Vision for Achieving Zero Emissions by 2050

Leveraging the full potential of sewerage systems and sewerage resources, we will drive the following initiatives to achieve our decarbonization goals.

• Further promote the introduction of advanced technologies, including energy-supply-type (carbon negative) incinerators and AI-based air flow control technology, and so on. 
• Develop and introduce innovative technologies such as perovskite solar cells and negative emission technology.

Vision for achieving zero emissions

Promote initiatives that use sewerage resources, such as sewerage heat, crossing the boundaries of the sewerage systems, to contribute to achieving zero emissions throughout society.

Content of Plan (in Japanese) 

(1) Earth Plan 2023 batch download

• Earth Plan 2023 (double-page version) (17.8 MB)
• Earth Plan 2023 (single-page version) (14.4 MB)

(2) Earth Plan 2023 split download

• Cover, foreword, table of contents (6 MB)
• Chapter 1: About Earth Plan 2023, Chapter 2: Background to its Formulation (16.3 MB)
• Chapter 3: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Sewerage Systems, Chapter 4: Targets and Initiatives to Achieve Carbon Half by 2030 (7 MB)
• Chapter 5: Vision for Achieving Zero Emissions by 2050, Chapter 6: Strengthening Energy Crisis Management, Back cover (18.4 MB)

Results of Opinion Solicitation and Responses

The formulation of this plan incorporated feedback received during the public comment collection period by March 10, 2023, following the release of the draft version of the Earth Plan 2023 on February 9, 2023.

All submitted opinions were thoroughly reviewed, and some revisions were made based on their content and suggestions.

(1) Public Comment Period: 30 days from Thursday, February 9 to Friday, March 10, 2023

(2) Total Opinions Received: 18

Click here for details. (328.2 KB) (in Japanese)

About “Committee on Global Warming Countermeasures Toward the Achievement of Carbon Half Sewerage”

The Bureau of Sewerage set up the Committee on Global Warming Countermeasures Toward the Achievement of Carbon Half Sewerage in April 2022 and compiled a final report in December 2022 on the examination results about measures to reduce global warming gas emissions by 50% by FY 2030. After examining this report, we formulated the Earth Plan 2023.

Click here for the Committee’s final report. (in Japanese)

Past Plans

Earth Plan 2017, a global warming prevention plan (in Japanese)

Smart Plan 2014, an energy master plan (in Japanese)

This project’s aim is to promote the “Future Tokyo: Tokyo's Long-Term Strategy.” Strategy 14: Zero Emission Tokyo Strategy Click here for “Future Tokyo: Tokyo's Long-Term Strategy.” (in Japanese)