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Eco Vision 2050 and the Medium-Term Environmental Plan 2015 for a Sustainable Earth and Society
Growing Problems in the Global Environment: More Has to be Done
Global warming, dwindling energy resources, destruction of ecological systems by pollution, and many other global environmental problems have emerged and worsened over recent years. These environmental problems are critical issues that must be addressed by the current and future generations of people around the world. Therefore, people of all nations and regions as well as corporations are being called upon to reduce their impact on the environment in order to leave it in a better condition and pass it on to future generations.
All over the world, alarms have sounded warning of the seriousness of global warming. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has stated that CO2 emissions must be reduced by 50 - 85% from 2000 levels by 2050 in order to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2.0 - 2.4°C, compared with the era before industrialization. Similarly, the IEA (International Energy Agency) has proposed targets for halving the current levels of CO2 emissions by 2050 through technological innovations.
Environmental Activities from a Longterm Perspective: Formulation of Eco Vision 2050
From early on, the preservation of the global environment has been a core tenet of management at Konica Minolta.
Based on this approach, the Group has formulated medium-term environmental plans that emphasize the prevention of global warming, support of a recycling-oriented society, and reduction of the risk of chemical substances.
Konica Minolta has achieved successful results from its efforts to reduce environmental impact in terms of entire product life cycles. However, as the pace of environmental problems accelerates, Konica Minolta believes that, from a long-term perspective, the Group must redouble its efforts toward achieving more challenging goals through a broader range of approaches.
With this understanding, in January 2009 Konica Minolta formulated Eco Vision 2050 as its long-term environmental vision. This vision guides Konica Minolta in the right direction to achieve its future objectives and fulfill its responsibility as a global corporation by contributing to a sustainable earth and society. The prevention of global warming is a core part of Konica Minolta's mission as a manufacturing company. Specifically, management has set the target of reducing CO2 emissions by 80% from fiscal 2005 levels throughout product life cycles by 2050. Moreover, Konica Minolta has taken a more aggressive posture toward issues of increasing importance, such as the effective use and reuse of limited global resources, and the restoration and preservation of biodiversity.
Technological innovation is the driving force behind efforts to attain these objectives. Konica Minolta sees the development of new technologies as a pivotal factor for achieving sustainable business development with reduced environmental impact, as well as for offering next-generation products with improved environmental performance.
Technological advancements culminate in even more innovation, and through this ongoing process, Konica Minolta aims to continue contributing to environmental preservation while also supporting society and helping people lead better lives.
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