Opinion Calling for the Formulation of a Basic Energy Plan Consistent with the Paris Agreement
June 15, 2018
Japan Federation of Bar Associations
The Japan Federation of Bar Associations prepared its “Opinion Calling for the Formulation of a Basic Energy Plan Consistent with the Paris Agreement” (the “Opinion”) and submitted it to the Commissioner of the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy on June 15, 2018.
Summary of the Opinion
In the 5th Basic Energy Plan (Plan), the following points must be clarified in order to achieve Japan’s long-term goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 in line with the goal of the Paris Agreement:
1. From the perspective of experiencing the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, the Plan should be formulated based on the intention to abandon nuclear power generation, not on the premise of restarting, constructing, or expanding of nuclear power plants.
2. The policy to eliminate coal fired-powered generation should be clearly set out in order to achieve decarbonizaton.
3. In order to rapidly shift the major source of electricity to renewable energy, the Plan should aim to increase the share of power supplied by renewable energy sources to more than 30 percent in 2030. For that purpose, the measures to establish territorially distributed energy supply demand systems, such as connecting renewable energy preferentially to the electric grid, utilizing the existing electric grid, or improving the electric grid to adapt to territorially distributed sources, should be promoted more progressively, rather than targeting the power storage systems of renewable energy such as solar power or wind power in combination with reserve cells, hydrogen, etc., for cost verification.
4. The energy-saving measures should be strengthened further, and the introduction of proactive carbon pricing measures should be expedited as well to promote decarbonisaton.
5. The Plan should be drafted through a transparent process of disclosing information fully to the public and practically reflecting the opinions of the public.
