"Carbon Footprint of Products" visualizes where and how much GHG was emitted during the life cycle of products.

All products (including services) we purchase and consume require a lot of energy from when the raw materials of products are acquired until the products are disposed of or recycled. The energy is obtained mainly from such fossil fuels as oil, coal, and natural gas and when it is used, GHG, which contributes to global warming, is emitted. The Carbon Footprint of Products (CFP) is the total quantity of CO₂-equivalent emissions of GHG from each process of the product’s entire life cycle. Under the current CFP system of Japan, the amount is displayed on the product.

Consumers will take a step toward the reduction of GHG emissions by becoming aware of GHG emissions accompanying their purchase, use, and disposal of products.
Companies will further reduce GHG emissions by identifying points of GHG emissions reduction.

• ・Consumers are able to obtain reliable information about a product’s GHG emissions. The information will arouse the interest in GHG and make the consumers take the first step toward the emission reduction. This will promote the purchase of products produced with consideration to GHG emissions and also contribute to consumption, disposal, and recycling with less GHG emissions.
• ・Companies are able to find processes with great GHG emissions and inefficient processes by CFP assessment. This is also expected to urge producers to make further reduction efforts so their labels will show smaller CFP.

To promote low-carbon selection by consumers, a common scale has become necessary for visualizing invisible GHG emissions.

• ・GHG emissions have been identified as to contributing to global warming (IPCC fourth assessment report, 2007.) To prevent global warming, GHG emissions must be reduced greatly.
• ・ As the Kyoto Protocol to reduce GHG emissions expires in 2012 and the issues of global warming became the main agenda at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit, the CFP has been getting attention as one of practical efforts for GHG reduction.
• ・In the cabinet decision "Action Plan for Achieving a Low-carbon Society" dated July 2008, promotion of CFP and establishment of CFP system was stated as one of GHG visualization measures. Thus, it was decided to set basic rules for the calculation and labeling of GHG emissions and ensuring the reliability of calculated CFP to implement the CFP system in Japan.

The life cycle assessment (LCA) method is used to calculate the amount of GHG emissions associated with products at each stage from raw materials acquisition to disposal or recycling.

LCA is a method to calculate the environmental impacts of products throughout the life cycle, from raw materials acquisition to disposal or recycling. The CFP is calculated as the quantity of GHG emissions throughout the life cycle and regarded as an impact indicator of contribution to global warming.

"Third-party verification scheme" is now under study to ensure reliability.

• ・In June 2008, two study groups, comprised of experts and intellectuals, were established. They are, "Study Group for Development and Promotion of CFP Program" and "Study Group on Rules for Calculation, Labeling and Evaluation of CO₂ (GHG) Emissions”. The main purposes of these groups are as follows:
  1. 1. Developing guidelines about calculation, labeling, and evaluation of CFP
  2. 2. Developing an easy method of calculating GHG emissions throughout the life cycle of a product
  3. 3. Studying measures for domestic promotion and raising awareness among consumers about CFP
• ・The Guideline developed in the Study Group prescribes the establishment of a third-party verification scheme.
• ・PCR committee, consisting of third-party intellectuals, verifies the CFP during the pilot project period.

A design chosen at the CFP Label Review Committee is used as the CFP label in the pilot project.

• ・Under the CFP system considered in Japan, a common label is used to display CFP. Only products verified to satisfy the requirements of accurate calculation and appropriate labeling method can bear the common label.
• ※ About the CFP Label

The CFP label is expected to help consumers buy and use products in a low-carbon manner, and therefore, GHG emissions will decrease.

• ・Household GHG emissions are not only from the direct use of energies such as electricity, gas, and oil. The use of products purchased daily also increases the GHG emissions amount. If reliable GHG emissions information of products is given, consumers will become more aware of the need to reduce GHG emissions.
• ・Consequently, consumers are expected to use products in a low-carbon manner and choose recycled products with less environmental impact. It is also expected for consumers to take voluntary actions to reduce GHG emissions, such as selecting products with fewer GHG emissions when shopping.