A 26-year-old solar executive shocked the Japanese government with rare criticism of U.S. climate policy, urging others to continue to force lawmakers to show more ambitions.
Shota Ikeda, one of 20 external experts, calls for contributions to a process that has allowed the country’s cabinet to approve plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 60% by 2035, a goal that analysts and campaigners see as a move that is not met.
Ikeda called for a reduction in emissions by at least 75%, and severely criticized the consultation as a real debate in this country that remains one of the world’s largest polluters.
“It’s important to keep saying a word. If we stop calling things, it’s all over – we need to keep talking about how things should be.” ”
According to government data released last month, Japan’s annual emissions fell about 4% in the 12-month period in March 2024 to a record low, amid a slowdown in manufacturing and weaker energy consumption. Even so, climate analysts believe this decline is too slow to allow the country to reach net zero ambitions by the middle of the century.
Advocates of faster climate action believe Japan remains too dependent on the potential revival of nuclear energy to replace fossil fuels and reduce pollution levels. They also criticized, like some other developed countries, for measuring cuts compared to a year, during which time, in this case, in 2013, when the atomic power plant was still shut down after the Fukushima melt collapse in 2011.
“I was asked to give candid opinions, but I was skeptical,” Ikeda told his expert committee in November. He wanted to know that “these meetings are all for performances,” Ikeda told his companions. The group was convened by the Ministry of Environment and Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.
The Japanese government insists that its emission-style pathways are ambitious and consistent with efforts to limit warming to 1.5C. In a statement, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said that, including Ikeda, a 10-hour debate proposal at three meetings, the committee members “agree to have a thorough discussion of the next avenue in the meeting.”
Ikeda claimed that he had initial attempts in October to call for steep emissions cuts as his opinions were considered “disconnected”, and his suggestion later encountered a gentle reaction when he finally discussed with the panel. “I shouted something went wrong, but looking around was calm.” “I was sad that these people are important to the future.”
Government officials said Ikda did not delay making his point but was asked to present it at a meeting with the agenda, which was more consistent with his speech.
Japan’s emission trajectory has been influenced by expert scientific and technical teams for decades, although the practice of using consultative bodies has faced ineffective and often unrepresentative criticism of the country’s society.
Erik Goto, a researcher at the Tokyo-based Institute for Renewable Energy, said the team was not a place for “productive discussions”, but rather a minor adjustment to the goals set by government officials. “There is a strategy that has already been decided that has already been determined the numbers,” he said.
A study of participants in 15 consulting agencies in Japan found that most people were old in the 1950s and 1970s, on average, men accounted for 75% of each group member, and many were associated with strongly intensive industries, climate fusion, a report on decarbonization of translocation tanks.
In a nationwide contribution document, the government stated that stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations, trade unions, industry, academia and local authorities, had “substantive considerations” on Japan’s revised climate targets. According to UN data, Japan is the only 21 of the 195 signatories to the Paris Agreement, which signed an update plan submitted under the agreement.
Ikda said he was concerned during the consultation that bureaucrats are willing to approve of weak climate goals rather than considering alternatives altogether. “Do they imagine what they would look like to their children and grandchildren in 2050,” he said. “I want to ask if they are really thinking about the younger generation.”
Japan’s Ministry of Environment admitted at a December meeting that the government’s proposed 2035 targets (only circulated at the end of the last meeting, with little debate remaining) could be put forward in a hurry. “I think it’s hard to claim that there is enough discussion,” said Masako Konishi, an expert and member of the advisory committee of WWF Japan.
“Focus on expertise, age and gender balance” and ensure that committee members include experts in energy and finance, who are familiar with environmental issues,” the Ministry of Environment said in a statement. ” the Environment Ministry said in a statement.
To encourage reform, voters should follow Ikeda’s leadership in public criticizing climate policy systems.
“It may be necessary to make politicians think such issues will affect the vote,” Emori said. “What happened this time may be just a ripple, but people need to continue to raise their voices on various opportunities in order to change.”
With the assistance of Aaron Clark and Steppczynski.
This article was generated from the Automation News Agency feed without the text being modified.
