TOKYO, JAPAN, 20 MAY 2024 - To mark the opening of its new office in Marunouchi, Tokyo, Japan, ACT Group brought together experts and thought leaders from various fields for a roundtable discussion on the role of international climate markets in achieving Japan's climate goals.

ACT has been helping clients based in Japan achieve their environmental goals from its APAC offices since its founding, so the event was attended by thought leaders and carbon market experts from Mitsui Global Strategic Studies Institute, Paris Agreement Article 6 Implementation Partnership Center (A6IP), Puro.earth, Sumitomo Corporation, Marubeni Corporation, Anderson Mori & Tomotsune, DLA Piper, and the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC), among others.

The roundtable attendees shared their thoughts on topics such as the GX-ETS and the Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM), discussing the potential challenges international firms face in participating in the JCM and the expected impact the GX-ETS will have in driving Japan’s climate action goals.

“The opening of the Tokyo office is an important step in realizing ACT Group’s vision of supporting climate ambitions globally,” said Federico Di Credico, Managing Director of APAC at ACT. “Japan is pioneering a new initiative of combining compliance systems while leveraging the power of carbon market mechanisms under its GX-ETS. Our Tokyo office will allow ACT to go the extra mile and better engage with Japan’s ecosystem and support its increasing climate ambitions.”

The discussion raised important concerns on the challenges corporations face with competing structures between international voluntary guidelines and local schemes, noting that close cooperation between international markets and local schemes is crucial in helping countries like Japan achieve their climate action goals.

“To achieve and enhance the current NDC, we need international cooperation, and for international cooperation to work we need the carbon markets. Partnership is key in driving climate action” said Kazuhisa Koakutsu, Director of the Paris Agreement Article 6 Implementation Partnership Center (A6IP), during the roundtable.

ACT’s expansion into Japan is driven by its commitment to serving its clients better and supporting them in every capacity and at each stage of their decarbonization journey. From its Tokyo office, ACT is well-positioned to provide environmental solutions that allow organizations to measure their carbon footprint, set their targets, and reduce, mitigate, and disclose their emissions efficiently and transparently.

In addition to local products, by leveraging its global network of clients and partners, ACT is also able to provide its clients in Japan with access to tailored, innovative solutions across global markets, make an impact through climate project development, and even decarbonize challenging emissions sources like those stemming from complex global supply chains.

The office in Japan is ACT’s third location in APAC, with one in Shanghai and its APAC headquarters in Singapore. It is its 7th location overall, alongside New York, Paris, London, and the global headquarters in Amsterdam.