ENVIRONMENT
Internal and External Situations Surrounding the Global Warming Issues and Challenges for Japan
2021 Volume 75 Issue 12 Pages 1120-1131
Details
2021 Volume 75 Issue 12 Pages 1120-1131
Despite strong push from the US and the EU, emerging countries such as China, India and Russia are opposed to the global carbon-neutrality in 2050 for achieving the goal of limiting the global average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius since the industrial revolution, and the phase-out of coal-fired power by 2030. This is reflected in a divergence in the messages of G7 and G20. The priorities on climate actions in the 17 SDGs vary from country to country.
China is shrewdly capitalizing on the global trends towards carbon neutrality. While announcing carbon neutrality in 2060, it is expanding the market for PV panels, batteries, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. It is benefiting from retreat of developed countries from fossil fuel sectors and clean coal technology exports.
Under that situation, Prime Minister Suga announced 2050 carbon neutrality goal last October and substantially raised Japan’s NDC in 2030 compared with 2013 level from 26% reduction to 46% reduction. He argued that Japan should pursue a virtuous cycle of economy and environment and METI published the Green Growth Strategy specifying 14 industries and technology areas which could contribute to Japan’s green growth and therefore should receive policy resources in a prioritized manner. However, we should also face the reality that decarbonization is not cost free and there could be a trade-off between economic growth and environmental protection. It is particularly so in Japan where energy cost is the highest among major countries.
Japan’s 46% target was set back-casting from 2050 carbon neutrality goal without thorough examination of its feasibility and economic cost. In its pursuit of 46% target, the government should regularly monitor energy cost and compare it with major trading partners.
Given the bulk of incremental CO2 emissions will come from developing countries in the Asian region, Japanese government and industries develop innovative technologies such as fuel ammonia, hydrogen, CCUS and carbon recycling which are crucial for decarbonization of the region and disseminate them by improving their cost competitiveness. This is the most fundamental contribution of Japan to the prevention of global warming.
