Hitachi Group led by Hitachi Ltd announced its long-term plan, "Environmental Vision 2025," aimed at preventing global warming Dec 19, 2007.
The plan's main goal is "to curb carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with Hitachi Group products by 100 million tons by fiscal 2025 (April 2025 to March 2026)." If this is met, the group will virtually contribute 0.7% to 14.5 billion tons of CO2 emissions that the International Energy Agency (IEA) is insisting must be slashed down by 2025, Hitachi said.
This plan is an enhanced version of the medium-term "Environmental Vision 2015" plan that the group formulated in 2006. Citing "global warming prevention," "the sustainable use of resources" and "ecosystem conservation" as its three main goals, the group will strive to reduce its CO2 emissions by 100 million tons a year by replacing all Hitachi Group products with "Eco-Products" by 2025 and through other efforts.
"Eco-Products" is a system to present a product's environmental information, which the group is voluntarily implementing. Products that meet all eight standards for "the minimization of environmental impact," "extended product life," "reusability," "the easiness of disassembly and treatment," "environmental conservation," "energy saving performance," "package material" and "information provision" qualify as "Eco-Products" and can display an authorized logo.
The group calculates a reduction in its CO2 emissions by comparing CO2 emitted when its product as of 2005 is used and that when the same kind of Eco-Product is used, and multiplying a difference by unit sales of the product.
The amount of reduced CO2 calculated in this manner excludes that emitted during production, only representing effects gained through lower energy consumption, etc when the products are used, Hitachi said. The company did not reveal detailed information about the calculation method.
As a medium-term goal, the group plans to increase sales of Eco-Products from ¥3.5 trillion (30% of overall sales) in fiscal 2006 to ¥6.6 trillion (50%) in fiscal 2010.
Of the target CO2 amount of 100 million tons per year, however, about 80% is likely to be achieved through reductions by energy-related businesses including the construction of nuclear power stations.
"If we receive an order for a new nuclear power station, we will calculate the amount of CO2 emission in comparison with that from a heat power station. A total amount of CO2 reduced by such businesses is likely to account for major part of the 100 million-ton target," said Hitachi. The group will fulfill the remaining 20% by environmentally optimizing its products.
Hitachi will also set up an Environment Strategy Office Jan 1, 2008 as an office, where both group-wide and external strategies are formulated toward the accomplishment of the long-term plan. Takashi Hatchoji, who has wide experience in stakeholder correspondence and global strategies, has been chosen CEnO (Chief Environmental Strategy Officer), the new office's top position.
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