In the Toshiba Group Environmental Vision 2050, introduced in November 2007, Toshiba set targets for enhancing environmental efficiency and raising overall eco-efficiency by a factor*1 of 10 by FY2050, compared with FY2000, while concurrently working toward contributing to global CO2 emission reductions by supplying more environmentally-friendly energy systems and eco-products that would reduce projected CO2 emissions by the equivalent of 57.6 million tons a year in FY2025.

The Group now intends to achieve total reductions by FY2025 equivalent to 82 million tons a year through its energy systems supply business and equivalent to 35.7 million tons through eco products. The new targets are equivalent to almost twice Tokyo's annual emissions.

The upward revision in the energy systems business represents Toshiba's determination to increase the contribution from its nuclear power business. Environmental concerns increasingly require the best possible mix of nuclear power thermal power, hydro power, geothermal power and new power sources, and the fact the nuclear power generation is CO2-emission-free gives it an important and rapidly growing role. In fact, the IEA's "Energy Technology Perspectives 2008” shows that meeting the target of halving global CO2 emissions by 2050 would require construction of 32 nuclear power plants a year around the world through to 2050. Toshiba recognizes this as an area where Toshiba Group can take the lead. While aware that the ultimate achievement will be strongly influenced by future market developments, Toshiba is proactively responding to current conditions by raising its original estimate of 47 million tons a year by 35 million tons to a new target of 82 million tons a year.

The revision also incorporates revised contributions from eco products. Lighting accounts for 16%*2 of the power consumed in homes, a fact underpinning growing demand for eco-friendly fluorescent lamps and LED lamps to replace incandescent lamps. Toshiba Group announced its withdrawal from production of incandescent lamps this April*3, a move made to contribute to reduced CO2 emissions, and put in place a new cross-organizational structure to bring a renewed impetus to management of the lighting business. This technology transition is expected to contribute the equivalent of 25.1 million tons a year in reduced CO2 emissions, prompting Toshiba to reset the target for contributions from eco products from 10.6 million tons to 35.7 million tons a year by FY2025.

"Toshiba is a corporate citizen of planet Earth. As such, we are strongly aware of and committed to the need to take positive actions now for the future,” said Mr. Atsutoshi Nishida, the President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "We believe that manufacturers should take the lead in promoting measures for protecting and improving the environment, and at Toshiba we do that through a wide range of programs and by setting ourselves demanding targets and working to reach them. We seek to contribute to efficient energy generation and reduced energy consumption with environmentally friendly products.”-Toshiba