Letter from Ambassador - Toward decarbonized society

Dear friends,

    I hope that this letter finds you well and safe. A year has passed since I wrote a letter on climate change in January 2020. I wrote “we begin with what we can do.” At the outset of a new year, I would like to touch upon again climate change, this urgent issue for Japan, Denmark and the world.
 

1. Toward decarbonized society in 2050

     Prime Minister SUGA stated in his inauguration address at the Diet in October 2020 that Japan would realize decarbonized society by 2050. Denmark and the EU welcomed warmly this announcement. Following this decision, the Government of Japan revealed the Green Growth Strategy which designated 14 priority industries in December. On the top of the list, there is off-shore wind power generation. Others include hydrogen energy and so on. I thought that a series of business between Denmark and Japan and dialogue among both governments and private sectors through various channels must have, to a certain extent, affected this decision. If so, it is so encouraging for me working with many colleagues in Copenhagen. On top of that, there have been considerable developments in maritime transportation sector, where both Japanese and Danish companies constructively compete and cooperate toward a zero- emission world, making use of further digital technologies. Both of us are maritime nations. For instance, ROBOSHIP Ver. 1.0, the electric powered ship was recently announced in Japan, which attracted Danish maritime business’s interests as well. Maersk Shipping`s research institute for zero-emission received Mitsubishi Heavy Industry and NYK and they conduct joint research for the best fuels etc. Denmark highly appreciates such joint undertakings as well.

 

2. Return of the US to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

     One of the first good news this year was the US return to the UNFCCC, which was decided by President Biden immediately after his inauguration on 20 January. Foreign Minister MOTEGI stated that Japan welcomed the decision. So did Denmark and the EU. From now on, the US delegation will come back to negotiating tables. Incidentally, when I heard this news it reminded me of the previous contacts with the US such as hard negotiations in drafting the UNFCCC in the 1990’s, exchange of views on climate change and energy policies as well as the efforts with my colleagues from Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to obtain the US support to a Japanese candidate for DG of International Energy Agency (IEA) in the 2000’s. The US presence is always firm and significant at every multilateral conference. I imagine that my colleagues in Tokyo must be getting more and more ready to be engaged in discussion with the US at negotiating tables in runup to the 26th Conference of the Parties for UNFCCC in Glasgow, the UK in November.

 

3. Opportunities and challenges for the year 2021

     What would be opportunities and challenges for Japan and Denmark in tackling climate change issues through the year 2021? On 11th January, the IEA announced that Prime Minister Frederiksen of Denmark has assumed the chair of a new global commission, “Our Inclusive Future of Energy”. The commission will discuss how best they can benefit civil society toward a zero-emission in energy sector by 2050. Japan has been proactively engaged in the discussion and joint projects in the IEA. I suppose that there would be new opportunities for Denmark and Japan to collaborate at the IEA and the UN.

    Denmark aims for 70% reduction of its green house gases emission by 2030 and thus attempts to lead the argument in the EU and the international community. She has appreciated Japan’s leadership for climate change diplomacy, in particular the October declaration of decarbonized society toward 2050. The only question that Denmark asks to Japan is whether Japan could transform clean coal technology assistance for Asian countries to more renewable energy cooperation and business in future. When Denmark expressed such different opinion, they recognize that certain progress has been made in Japan’s efforts, and that developing countries are faced with various social and economic circumstances which should be respected. Based on such recognition, Danish approach seems to be not forcing anybody but persistently ask questions such as “what would be things we can do together?”, “how can we get more like-minded countries?” and so on. Further strategic cooperation, constructive competition and mutual learning between Japan and Denmark will contribute to the global efforts and future generations to come. It would be of benefit for Japan as well.

    We still have to deal with COVID-19 challenges continuously in 2021. Let us stay safe and warm through this cold winter. See you next month.