Japan Ghg Emissions Down For 5 Straight Years
Japan's Environment Ministry says the country's greenhouse gas emissions were down for the fifth straight year in fiscal 2018.
The ministry says domestic emissions in the fiscal year that ended in March 2019 amounted to a carbon dioxide equivalent of 1.24 billion tons.
The figure was down 51 million tons, or 3.9 percent, from the previous fiscal year and the lowest since calculations began in fiscal 1990.
The ministry attributes the decline to a drop in thermal power generation due to the restart of nuclear power plants and the increased use of renewable energy. It also notes efforts by households and businesses to save energy.
The Japanese government aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 26 percent in fiscal 2030 from the fiscal 2013 level. But it had only managed to cut 12 percent as of fiscal 2018.
In addition, the country's nuclear regulator has ordered a halt to online nuclear power plants that are unable to put anti-terrorist measures in place by a deadline. This could lead to a spike in greenhouse gas emissions.
Environment Minister Koizumi Shinjiro told reporters on Tuesday that achieving the goal won't be easy, but he vowed to accelerate the transition to a carbon-free society when the coronavirus outbreak has eased.
