Japan to fight its coal dependency: Environment Minister

Japans Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Tuesday that the country would make efforts to reduce its dependence on coal as an energy source following criticism at a recent climate summit for its over-reliance on fossil fuels.

Koizumi spoke at a presser in Tokyo after returning from the COP25 Climate Summit in Madrid, where the Japanese representative faced criticism from the international community and nonprofits over Japan's insufficient environmental goals to address climate change, Efe news reported.

The Minister said the that criticism, based on the country's continued use of coal and financing of new fossil energy plants abroad, eclipsed efforts and contributions Japan has made on many fronts regarding environmental protection.

Koizumi said Japan has been actively working to make coal plants cleaner and more efficient within its borders as well as in the technology it exports to different Southeast Asian countries.

Japan, the world's third-largest economy, is the world's fifth-largest CO2 emitter. Following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, the country increased its coal usage and today generates more than 30 percent of its total power from it.

Japan's government has no plans to stop using the fossil fuel, although it aims to reduce dependence by up to 25 per cent by 2030. By that year it plans to increase its renewable energy use from the current 15 percent to 22-24 per cent, according to the latest government strategy.IANS