Japan targets carbon emissions, pushes renewables and nuclear

Japan is calling for further efforts to cut carbon emissions by promoting renewable energy but also nuclear energy despite the 2011 Fukushima reactor meltdowns.

The energy white paper, just adopted by the Japanese Cabinet, said Japan faces an “urgent task” of reducing carbon emissions coming from utilities that have relied heavily on fossil fuels to make up for shortages of cleaner nuclear energy.

Associated Press newsagency reports the call comes as nuclear reactors are slowly being restarted amid lingering anti-nuclear sentiments since the 2011 crisis.

Japan wants further development of renewable energy and set a 22 per cent to 24 per cent target while maintaining nuclear energy at around the same level.

Associated Press reports it also pledged to reduce carbon emissions by 26 per cent from 2013 levels by 2030.

So far it has achieved a seven per cent reduction and is making progress but needs more effort, the paper said.

It said the cost of renewable energy also needed to come down.

While renewable energy accounts for 16 per cent of Japan’s energy supply, nuclear energy remained at just three per cent in 2017, compared to the target of 20 per cent to 22 per cent, according to the paper.

Japanese utilities rely more heavily on fossil fuel plants than those in the United States and Europe, the paper said.

Coal and natural gas accounted for 74 per cent.

Before the 2011 quake and tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s cooling systems and sent three of its reactors into meltdowns, nuclear energy made up about one-third of Japan’s energy supply.

Despite the government’s renewed ambitions for nuclear power, reactor restarts are proceeding slowly as nuclear regulators spend more time on inspections under the stricter post-Fukushima standards, while utility companies have opted to scrap aged reactors instead of investing in additional safety measures.