It is important to set goals, but feasible and concrete measures are more important. It is hoped that economic growth will be brought about by specifying a road map.
As Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced a policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, the government intends to devise an action plan by the end of the year to achieve this goal.
Moves to pursue net-zero emissions have grown around the world. Japan should not lag behind in taking measures.
However, it is no easy task to attain such a goal. Japan's greenhouse gas emissions amounted to about 1.2 billion tons in fiscal 2018, down only 12% from fiscal 2013. The government projects the figure to be about 1 billion tons in fiscal 2030.
Currently, thermal power generation using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal accounts for about 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. To curb thermal power generation, the nation has no choice but to make the most of renewable energy and nuclear power.
The European Union, which declared a goal of cutting emissions to net zero ahead of Japan, expects renewable energy to account for 81% to 85% of its electricity generation in 2050, while nuclear power is projected to make up for 12% to 15%.
The key to increasing renewable energy is to cut costs, which are higher than in Europe, and develop technologies for large-capacity storage batteries that can adjust for unstable output.
As for nuclear power generation, it is the government's responsibility to regain the public's trust and deepen the understanding of local residents about restarting reactors. It is also desirable that discussions will be held on the construction of new reactors, and that there will be progress on the development of small reactors with higher safety.
Furthermore, it will be essential to develop new breakthrough technologies and have them used widely.
Hopes are being pinned on the use of hydrogen that does not emit CO2 even when burned.
Hydrogen can be liquefied and stored for use in fuel cell vehicles (FCV), as well as for other purposes such as a substitute for coal in the process of steelmaking. It can be also used to generate electricity. Japan is said to have the upper hand globally in technology using hydrogen -- Toyota Motor Corp., for example, launched the world's first mass-produced FCV model in 2014.
A challenge is to build infrastructure to supply hydrogen and reduce costs. Government support measures giving priority to this matter are needed.
To achieve the net-zero emissions goal, it is also necessary to put into practice a carbon recycling system, in which CO2 is collected for reuse.
Japanese companies once led the world in environmental technology. In the 1970s, Honda Motor Co. cleared emissions regulations in the United States ahead of major U.S. automakers. In the wake of the oil crisis, automakers and consumer electronics companies improved their energy-saving performance to be among the best in the world.
It is crucial to view measures against global warming as an opportunity for growth this time as well. If the government clarifies its plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, that would make it easier for companies to make investments. It is important for both the public and private sectors to accelerate technological innovations that will support economic growth.
-- The original Japanese article appeared in The Yomiuri Shimbun on Nov. 21, 2020.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
