Posted on April, 20 2021

(20 April 2021) Japan must take bold steps to increase its emissions reductions target in its revised national climate plan.

Given the scale of the climate crisis facing the world, there can be no good reason for the world's, the world’s third-largest economy to not contribute their fair share, aligned to 1.5℃, says WWF Global Lead Climate & Energy Manuel Pulgar-Vidal. 

Japan had initially re-submitted its next five year-climate plan (called Nationally Determined Contribution, NDCs) in March 2020, which included unchanged emissions reduction targets by 26% below 2013 levels by 2030. 

Subsequently, in an encouraging change in stance on their climate plan, Japanese Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stated that the country would revise its targets and submit its NDC before COP26 (scheduled for November this year). In a further promising signal, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced in October last year that Japan would achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Pulgar-Vidal said: “We are very heartened by these announcements. But actions speak louder than words. We want to urge the Japanese government to consider increasing its emissions reduction target to 50% by 2030. Never has the need for urgent climate action been clearer. And Japan must show that they grasp the scale of the crisis we face.”

Japan should also increase its climate finance contribution, and ensure that private finance flows from Japan support zero carbon technologies and not fossil fuel based investments, he says.

Notes for Editors:
See WWF's assessment of the current Japan NDC here, and more on NDCsWeWant here.