Transport ministers from 22 nations will gather in Tokyo on January 14 to discuss ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector, including aviation and shipping, the Japanese government announced.

The participating countries are the Group of Eight developed nations, including Australia, the United States, India, China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Among other participants are representatives from the European Commission, the United Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

The transport sector accounts for about 23 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions from aviation and shipping have also been rising rapidly, but were not included in the Kyoto Protocol on curbing global warming because of the complexity of attributing these emissions to individual countries.

The conference is expected to address, among other topics, shortening of flight routes and an index for shipping-related emissions that is being developed by the IMO, the Japanese government said.