Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan
Skip to main content日本語
Official SNS
XFacebook

Your environmental type diagnosis!

You value harmony with nature while making use of science and technology. You think logically and notice change carefully.

You notice small changes around you and take time to observe and understand what is happening. Environmental action often begins not with big steps, but with noticing what is happening and where change can be found. As an Observer, your strength lies in carefully watching the environment and the results of our actions, and discovering hints for the next step.

  • Analysis
  • Harmony
  • Under- standing

A small filming crew is taking photos in a park. The photographer is taking pictures of flowers and plants with a camera. After a moment, they look up at the sky and quietly say, “Maybe it will rain tomorrow.” A colleague looks surprised and asks, “Really? How can you tell?” The photographer points to the clouds and explains. “See those puffy clouds? They’re called altocumulus clouds.” “They often appear when the atmosphere becomes unstable.” The photographer continues, “Before the shoot, the clouds were small and scattered. Now they’re getting larger.” “That’s usually a sign that rain clouds are moving in.” After hearing this explanation, the crew members look up at the sky and nod. “I see…” Sensing the sign of rain, the team decides to postpone the next day’s shoot. The scene changes to the following day.Outside, just as predicted, rain is falling. The two stand indoors and look out the window. A colleague says with surprise, “Wow. It really rained!” The photographer smiles slightly, looking up at the sky. At the end of the story appears the message: “Noticing small changes is a great strength.”

In responding to the three global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, there is a growing worldwide need to build socio-economic systems that integrate measures such as net-zero, nature-positive, and a circular economy. In Japan, the Basic Environment Plan has been formulated in order to promote policies for environmental conservation across the entire government in a comprehensive and systematic manner.

The Sixth Basic Environment Plan, approved by the Cabinet in May 2024, puts “the quality of life, level of happiness, well-being and economic welfare of each person present and in the future” (hereinafter referred to as “well-being/quality of life”) as its top objective, and also positions this as contributing to “the welfare of humankind.”

“Well-being/quality of life” consists of both market value and non-market value, and includes subjective well-being such as self-affirmation, representing true “affluence” in modern society. This plan is based on a strong sense of urgency regarding the three crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.

Decarbonization (Carbon Neutrality): Net Zero

To address climate change, a global challenge, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality by reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero overall. Achieving net zero requires both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving and enhancing natural absorption processes.

Nature Positive

By halting and reversing biodiversity loss to place nature on a path to recovery, this approach goes beyond simply protecting nature. It seeks to transform society and the economy as a whole so that they contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and related goals.

Circular Economy

To build a circular society, it is essential to shift away from a one-way, linear economic model based on mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal. Instead, we must promote a circular economy that uses resources efficiently and sustainably, circulating them within the system.

Actions best suited for the Observer

  • Decarbonization

    You carefully observe how energy is used and can notice where it is being wasted or where it could be reduced.

  • Nature Positive

    You pay attention to nearby nature, weather, and living things, creating opportunities to understand the state of the environment.

  • Circular Economy

    By observing how things are used and thrown away, you can find hints for improvement, such as what can still be used or what could be reduced.

The Observer's Role

Your actions may not create big changes right away. However, because you notice and understand things accurately, the next actions can begin. Sharing what you see and helping others understand the importance of “first knowing” is also an important contribution to the environment.

Environmental Types
About the Sixth Basic Environment Plan (PDF)
HomeStart Over