Is this the Japan of today or yesterday?

11 March 2014

Today marks the third anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident in eastern Japan. Our hearts are with those who suffered and are still suffering from this tragic event.

ECO has no doubt that producing a new energy and climate vision is a hard ask. Yet, as we watched the Japanese government struggle with this task, we found ourselves deeply disappointed in Warsaw when when we heard that the government decided to lower its ambition for emission reductions by 2020.

We are now, again, worried to hear that Japan’s new energy strategy may not include ambitious targets for renewables and energy efficiency. With with no ambitious climate policies or targets, ECO is not surprised to hear that there’s unlikely to be any discussion on the post-2020 commitments.

Three years on from Fukushima, Japan is about to present their new vision and we want to know what’s changed?

Outside of Japan, people were moved by the integrity shown by the Japanese, especially given what was happening in March 2011. It would be extremely disappointing to people both in and out of Japan if the, soon-to-be-revealed energy and climate vision falls short of expectations and is just a continuation of business as usual.