The two largest economies in the world met this week to discuss issues of climate change, and those nations' roles in combating it. The EPA met with Japan's Ministry of Environment (MOEJ) and Japan's Institute for Global Environmental Strategies on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 11-12, to exchange information and expand collaboration on key climate change issues.

The two-day workshop brought together representatives from the EPA, MOEJ and the U.S. State Department, as well as a number of non-governmental organizations, to review and discuss approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Topics included greenhouse gas inventories and emissions forecasts, greenhouse gas reporting systems, greenhouse gas trading, economic modeling, land use and land use change and forestry, and addressing emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases.

The workshop also focused on identifying areas of future collaboration between the EPA and MOEJ, with the two agencies agreeing to enhance collaboration on the Methane to Markets Partnership and on capacity building for greenhouse gas inventories.