Japan wants to make itself climate neutral by 2050. The Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announced this back in November. Now the government has given us some more details. The Tokyo government presented on Friday (26. Dec. 2020) Main features of their “green growth strategy”.

Internal combustion engines in cars remain allowed Among other things, it should contribute to the decarbonization that in around 15 years new cars with only internal combustion engines from electric cars with battery storage or hydrogen – Replace fuel cell. From this point on, vehicles with internal combustion engines should only be homologated with hybrid drives.

According to the government’s plans, the restructuring of the economy is to be promoted with tax incentives and financial aid . The government wants to cut the cost of vehicle batteries to 2030 by more than half in order to accelerate the spread of electric cars. At the same time, the use of hydrogen for power generation and vehicle propulsion is to be further expanded.

Ammonia as an energy carrier and CCS Im The plan includes an installation target for offshore wind power of up to 45 gigawatts to 2040. In addition to hydrogen, ammonia should also serve as an energy carrier – despite its potential NOx emissions during combustion. The controversial injection of carbon dioxide underground (Carbon Capture and Storage, CCS) is also part of the strategy. In view of the unstable geology of Japan, it is certainly a particular challenge. Nuclear energy, previously favored as a means of decarbonization, has been out of the running since it was no longer available to the population after the reactor accident in Fukushima in March 2011.

“Environmental protection is a growth driver” Government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said, “The government’s actions in the environmental field reflect our conviction reflects the fact that a fundamental change in mindset is required and that these are not restrictions on growth, but growth drivers. ”

The government now hopes that” green investments “will boost economic growth up to 2030 of around 700 billion euros and up to 2050 of around 1.5 trillion euros. So far, the high-tech nation of Japan, a signatory to the Paris Climate Agreement, has been accused of being reluctant to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. Japan is the world’s fifth largest emitter of CO2.

(fpi)