Dr. Yukari Takamura: Bridging Law, Policy, and Science to Accelerate Emissions Reductions

As global efforts to combat climate change encounter a significant slowdown, Japan’s foremost environmental law expert, Dr. Yukari Takamura, advocates for a transformative approach to climate governance that integrates legal accountability, evidence-based policymaking, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Takamura, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), has long advocated for legal and institutional reforms that hold governments and corporations accountable to scientifically grounded decarbonization goals.

Dr. Takamura has played a key role in shaping Japan’s climate policy through her service on various government advisory bodies, including the Ministry of the Environment’s Subcommittee on Climate Change Policy and the Advisory Committee for Natural Resources and Energy. Her expertise is also recognized on the global stage, as she served as a Coordinating Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (Working Group III), contributing to the chapter on international cooperation.

Her work bridges the traditionally separate realms of environmental science, policy, and law, underscoring that achieving net-zero targets depends on binding legal commitments and inclusive, transparent governance. Both in Japan and internationally, her vision is influencing how nations move beyond voluntary pledges by developing integrated accountability systems that ensure climate commitments are not only made but meaningfully fulfilled.

“We Have the Tools. What We Need is Governance That Demands Action.”

In an address at the 2024 Tokyo International Climate Law Conference, Dr. Takamura articulated her concerns about the growing disparity between climate ambition and actual emissions reductions:

“The science is clear. We are on track to exceed 2°C unless there is immediate, drastic action. But what we lack is not technology—it is governance. Countries continue to make promises, yet their legal and institutional systems allow delays and excuses. We need to embed emissions targets in enforceable national laws, monitored by independent scientific bodies and backed by financial and social policy reforms. The key to breaking the current lull is not just energy innovation—it is innovation in accountability.”

“In Japan, this means fully aligning our Basic Energy Plan and national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. We must integrate climate targets into urban planning, industrial policy, and tax reform. Citizens must be empowered to demand change, and companies must be held accountable for their greenwashing practices. Climate justice, particularly for vulnerable communities, should not be an afterthought—it must be central to our response. We are no longer in a period of uncertainty. We are in a moment that demands resolve.”

“Japan’s transition can become a model, but only if we prioritize coordinated governance across ministries, sectors, and borders. Emissions won’t fall because we hope they will. They will fall because we set real legal expectations—and enforce them.”

Why This Matters

Japan’s goal of reducing emissions by 46% from 2013 levels by 2030 is ambitious, yet current trends suggest the country is not on track to meet it. According to experts like Dr. Takamura, this shortfall stems less from a lack of ambition and more from the absence of enforceable measures and cohesive political coordination. While the 2021 revision of the Basic Act on Global Warming Countermeasures formally established the 2050 net-zero goal, it still falls short in enforcement provisions and lacks strong integration with energy and financial policy frameworks.

Dr. Takamura’s approach—grounded in legal rigor and institutional coherence—provides a model for countries facing similar climate governance challenges. Her expertise has sparked renewed discussions in Japan’s Diet on incorporating enforceable emissions caps into the Climate Change Adaptation Plan and shaping the forthcoming revision of the national Energy Policy Framework. Globally, her scholarship informs critical conversations around the design of the Global Stocktake mechanism and the development of robust legal frameworks to guide climate finance.

Policy Recommendations from Dr. Takamura

Based on her years of academic and advisory work, Dr. Takamura recommends:

• Embedding Japan’s NDC targets into national law with regular scientific reviews and penalties for non-compliance.
• Creating a Climate Accountability Council—an independent oversight body modeled on the UK’s Climate Change Committee.
• Requiring climate impact assessments for all significant public investments and infrastructure projects.
• Establishing a carbon budget framework to guide annual emissions reductions across sectors.
• Reforming environmental education to build public engagement and climate literacy from early childhood.

Dr. Takamura’s work highlights a crucial insight: the climate crisis is as much a governance issue as a scientific or economic one. She argues that with comprehensive legal structures and enhanced civic accountability, countries like Japan have the potential not only to achieve their climate targets but also to set a global example in turning climate commitments into concrete action.

Contact Information for Further Engagement

Name: Dr. Yukari Takamura
Title: Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives
Affiliation: University of Tokyo
Email: takamura@ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Phone: +81-3-5841-1730
Website: https://ifi.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en

Submitted by Climate Scorecard Japan Country Manager Dr. Delmaria Richards.