Yoshihide Suga during his first press conference as prime minister of Japan in September. Image: 内閣官房内閣広報室 , CC BY 4.0 via Wikipedia Commons Japan will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, its prime minister Yoshihide Suga declared on Monday (26 October), marking a tremendous shift in the nation’s position on the climate emergency. The country—the world’s third-biggest economy—had previously said it would achieve an 80 per cent cut in emissions and become carbon neutral “as soon as possible” in the second half of the century. Earlier this year, it drew global criticism for failing to ratchet up these targets. The announcement brings Japan on par with the European Union, which set itself a similar goal last year, and comes in a momentous period for climate action in East Asia, with South Korea making the same commitment and China recently pledging to go carbon neutral by 2060. To continue reading this story for free Join the Eco-Business community and gain access to Asia Pacific’s largest media platform on sustainable development. Stay updated on the latest news, jobs, events and more with our Weekly Newsletter delivered to you at no subscription fee. Access our services to publish […]
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