Japan’s ‘green transformation’ would derail the energy transition in Asia

(Climate Home News, 2 Mar 2023) Japan plans to prolong fossil fuels across Southeast Asia, by promoting carbon capture, gas and the co-firing of ammonia at coal power plants.

Gerry Arances is convenor of the Power for People coalition and the Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development in the Philippines.

Dwi Sawung currently serves as Infrastructure and Spatial Planning Campaign Manager at WALHI – Friends of the Earth Indonesia.

Years ago, Japanese officials waltzed into our countries – the Philippines and Indonesia – and cut deals to develop dirty coal power plants that would enrich Japanese corporate interests.

After years of resistance, people’s movements from the Philippines to Bangladesh and Indonesia succeeded in pressuring the Japanese government last year to stop exporting its dirty coal technologies to our vibrant, rich and extremely climate vulnerable countries.

We won. But now Japan is at it again.

After decades of inaction on the climate crisis, the Japanese government led by prime minister Fumio Kishida approved a so-called “Green Transformation” (GX) strategy on 10 February to purportedly support the transition to clean energy.

But this strategy is an exercise in greenwashing and relies heavily on the expansion and use of fossil fuels.

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Climate Home News, 2 Mar 2023: Japan’s ‘green transformation’ would derail the energy transition in Asia