The CDM* allows advanced nations to conduct projects to combat global warming in developing countries, thereby helping those countries comply with their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as specified under the Kyoto Protocol.
If businesses in advanced nations reduce greenhouse gases through projects in developing countries, they may have that reduction reflected in their own CO2 reduction goals under certain rules, and ultimately such reduction is used by the governments of their countries to meet national targets.
Developing countries benefit from this mechanism as well since they are given opportunities to receive investments and technology transfers.
Ricoh estimates the maximum increase in CO2 emissions caused by rapid business expansion associated with M & A and external factors such as changes in CO2 emissions conversion coefficients at 138,000 tons, and is preparing for CDM to mitigate the increase.
When selecting CDM projects, Ricoh takes cost performance into account. In addition, by using networks with environmental NPOs, Ricoh strives to choose projects that contribute to the conservation of ecosystems and improvement of living standards of the local people.
In terms of the organizations that execute projects, Ricoh assesses their commitment to corporate social responsibility. In June 2008, a 30,632-ton credit for emissions regarding wind power generation projects in India was transferred to Ricoh's account,
Ricoh's first acquisition of such a credit. Ricoh is steadily promoting efforts for acquiring further credits.
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- CDM: Clean Development Mechanism
The Ricoh Group established the following criteria for the selection of CDM projects
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Projects should be valuable from the perspective of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. As for afforestation projects, they should be recognized by environmental NGOs. |
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Projects should be socially recognized by every stakeholder. |
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CDM projects promoted by Ricoh
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Wind Power Generation<India>
The rapid economic growth in India has caused concern about the increased number of low cost, coal-fired power stations that satisfy the growing need for power. Responding to this concern, Ricoh is taking part in a number of wind power projects carried out in various parts of India in order to switch from fossil fuel to wind energy to generate electricity.
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Bagasse electricity generation project<El Salvador>
El Salvador is giving priority to electricity generation from bagasse as a CDM project of the UN, aiming to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel. CO2 emissions from sugar refining, which is one of the major industries of El Salvador, can be reduced by switching from fossil fuel-fired power generation to bagasse (pulp left after the juice has been extracted from sugar cane) power generation to supply energy to refining factories.
Under this project, in which Ricoh is taking part, generators capable of producing a total of 45 MW were introduced in 2002 through 2005. In addition, Ricoh helped improve energy utilization efficiency by introducing a cogeneration system and has created a system of selling surplus electricity through electric power companies.
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Environmental afforestation<Ecuador>
Although the Choco Manabi region in Ecuador is famous worldwide for its biodiversity, forests were cut down by stockbreeders, but afterwards the deforested areas were abandoned as the livestock business in Ecuador went into a recession. Under the project, seeds to grow seedlings for reforestation purposes are collected, local people are employed to conduct afforestation, and virgin forests are maintained and managed.
It is difficult to measure the CO2 absorption levels in afforestation projects, which makes it difficult to obtain the approval of the UN CDM Executive Board. This project was the first afforestation project that was invested in solely by an individual Japanese corporation, where the CDM Executive Board approved the methodology.
It is also the world's first case approved among the projects for which the main purpose is biodiversity conservation.
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