Environment

Suga says Japan will seek zero CO2 emissions by 2050

Tokyo, Oct 26 (efe-epa).- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced Monday his commitment to intensify efforts to stop Japan from emitting greenhouse gases until reaching zero levels in 2050.

Suga made the announcement Monday at the opening of the session of the Diet (Japan’s parliament), the first time he has led the event since becoming head of government, on Oct. 16.

“Japan here declares that its goal for 2050 is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero. That is, achieve a decarbonized society by 2050,” Suga said.

“We need to change our mindset and take proactive measures against global warming that generate changes in industrial structures, as well as in the economy and society, which will lead to great growth,” added Suga.

This is the first time a Japanese head of government has committed to a date to reach a zero emission in the generation of greenhouse gases.

In June 2019, the Abe government designed a plan to minimize the emission of these gases by 2050, boosting energy sources such as solar and wind, but that program did not establish zero levels in that year.

It did establish, however, increasing the generation of renewable energy to reach between 22 percent and 24 percent of the total by 2030.

Although Japan is one of the signatories of the Paris Agreement to fight climate change, it has not submitted specific goals in the process to end air pollution.

Japan’s position comes after China, one of the world’s leading polluters, announced last month its intention to reach zero emissions by 2060.

This announcement, however, raised concerns among experts throughout the term, since if the worst effects of the climate crisis are to be avoided, the consensus of the scientific community is inclined to achieve neutrality in 2050. EFE-EPA

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