Japan PM Yoshihide Suga sets 2050 deadline for carbon neutrality

Name: Japan aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, says Prime Minister Suga
Uploaded: 2020-10-26T07:20:04.000Z
Duration: 1 min 43 s
Description: Japan aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, says Prime Minister Suga

The new goal puts Japan on the same timeline as Europe, Britain and a host of smaller nations, and a decade ahead of China

Japan has struggled to cut carbon emissions after shutting down nuclear reactors following the 2011 meltdown in Fukushima

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Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. Photo: Kyodo

Agence France-Presse

Published: 3:20pm, 26 Oct 2020Updated: 2:40am, 28 Oct 2020

Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday set a 2050 deadline for the world’s third-largest economy to become carbon neutral, significantly firming up the country’s climate change commitments.

“We will bring the total amount of greenhouse gas [emitted by Japan] to net zero by 2050, meaning carbon neutral,” Suga said in his first policy address to parliament since taking office.

“I declare we will aim to realise a decarbonised society,” he added, to applause from Diet members.

Tokyo had previously only aimed to achieve carbon neutrality some time in the latter half of the century, a goal criticised by climate activists as vague and unambitious.

The new goal puts Japan on the same timeline as Europe, Britain and a host of smaller nations, and a decade ahead of China, which last month set a 2060 goal.

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Japan aims to be carbon neutral by 2050, says Prime Minister Suga

Beijing on Monday welcomed Suga’s announcement, saying it would boost international climate change efforts.