Overview

The 2015 Paris Agreement can only be called historical. As the first major multilateral deal of the 21st century, it sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C. The deal is the culmination of years of efforts by the international community to bring about a universal multilateral agreement on climate change. It sends a clear signal to investors, businesses, and policy-makers that the global transition to clean energy is here to stay and resources have to shift away from polluting fossil fuels.

However, while the Paris Agreement marks a new chapter in international climate action, the promises made in Paris have to be translated into action. This seminar intended to allow EU and Japanese policy makers to compare notes on the follow-up of the Agreement. It also provided industry representatives an opportunity to present an assessment of the Agreement from a business perspective and to explain how their companies' strategies would address climate change challenges. The seminar was attended by about 70 participants.

Programme

Opening remarks by Mr. Jonathan Hatwell, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Japan	Mr. Jake Werksman, Principal Advisor, DG CLIMA, European Commission	Mr. Hiroki Mitsumata, Deputy Director-General for Technology and Environment, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Takayuki Kitajima, General Counsel-Japan & Korea, Unilever Japan Holdings K.K.	Mr. Tsuyoshi Horinouchi, Assistant General Manager, Total Quality Management Division Department Manager, Environmental Management Promotion Department, NEC Corporation	Closing remarks by Mr. Silviu Jora, General Manager, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation