Japan, the third largest economy in the world, has joined to the list of other countries that have pledged to go carbon-neutral in the future.
The country’s PM Suga Yoshihide who was recently appointed announced their ambitious goal of going carbon-neutral by 2050.
Although other similar goals have been announced worldwide, Japan’s pledge has met some skepticism based on their reliance on non-renewable energy.
However, Suga didn’t address these doubts, but emphasized a shift towards a more renewable and nuclear energy.
He reminded that people have to change their thinking and realize the importance of assertive measures to fight off climate change and changes in economy and industrial structure, which will bring growth.
Japan’s Bold Commitment to Go Carbon-Neutral by 2050
The new announcement replaces looser goals concerning carbon, including 80 percent reduction by 2050 and an unclear metric for real carbon neutrality that would be reached in the future.
The criticism for the energy plan of Japan from 2018 also focused on the increase in nuclear energy with the consequences from the Fukushima meltdown still being felt almost 10 years later.
For Greenpeace Japan, although this goal is on the right path, a full pledge to end nuclear power is also pivotal to add the ending of nuclear power too.
Suga declared Japan’s aim to become a decarbonized society and their commitment may be the first step towards carbon recycling, solar energy, and other pivotal tools to define the future of the worldwide mission to fight off climate change.
The executive director of Greenpeace Japan welcomed the commitment and said that if they succeed achieving net zero by 2050, they would massively boost the power of Japan for renewable electricity by 2030.
Japan has been under quite the pressure to improve their climate pledges after they first said they would reach 80 percent reduction in their emissions by 2050, followed by an ASAP carbon neutrality in the 2nd half of the century.
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