The Climate Reality Project Japan: OUR ASKS FOR COP28
At COP28, The Climate Reality Project Japan demands to advance the global and Japan’s commitment toachieve the Paris Agreement goal, to limit the global warming within 1.5 degrees, through our asks andvoices from our community of diverse groups of people in Japan.
The branch also acknowledges the country’s historical responsibility of being one of the biggest GHG
emitters and the largest funders of fossil fuels globally. The climate crisis is a justice and human rights
issue, and we believe in the power of our collective efforts to resolve such.

Climate Reality's Global Position
This section summarizes the Climate Reality’s positions on the key elements for COP28, both from theglobal and Japan-specific perspectives.
Reducing Emissions
Global
COP must commit to an equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels, responsible for 75% of global emissions, atleast triple renewable energy capacity and at least double efforts in energy efficiency by 2030, and reduce
methane emissions from the energy sector to near zero by 2030.
JapanJapan, the world's 5th largest greenhouse gas emitter1, must swiftly shift to clean energy and completely
eliminate fossil fuels. Japan's reliance on fossil fuels, constituting over 70% of its energy mix in 2022,
necessitates a more ambitious approach2. While the country explores technologies like ammonia co-firing
and CCUS on coal power plants, these are still experimental and unreliable measures for achieving
emission reduction goals by 2030.
Financing a Just Transition
Global
COP must agree to stop financing fossil fuels and fund just transition. Developed countries must provide
evidence that they have materialized their promise to mobilize $100 billion for climate finance in developing
countries. Also, COP must make a commitment to the Green Climate Fund and ensure that this year's
replenishment is the largest yet.
Japan
Japan is the world’s largest financer of fossil fuels, having contributed $10.6 billion USD per year on
average of public finance to fund fossil fuel projects between 2019 and 20213. Despite G7 commitments tocease new direct public support for unabated fossil fuel energy, Japan has still indicated its intention tocontinue financing oil and gas developments. Japan's fossil fuel finance increases host countries' relianceon fossil fuels, worsening the climate and energy crises and impacting people's livelihoods4.
The country must shift its fund to support a just transition as well as adaptation and loss and damage indeveloping nations.
Calling out Conflicts of Interest and Reforming the System
GlobalThis year's COP agenda lacks a crucial item: phasing out fossil fuels. The COP must tackle the problem ofoutside influence from fossil fuel lobbyists that influence outcomes and support the interests of fossil fuelproducing nations, and make sure the message around COP outcomes does not get greenwashed. Aconversation must start around how to reform the COP process to prevent one nation from blocking
progress and make other reforms such as objective agenda setting.

1Agency for Natural Resources and Energy

2Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies

3CAN-International4

Oil Change InternationalJapan
Japan must actively pursue collaborative paths for a rapid, just, and equitable shift to renewable energy,
instead of endorsing "false solutions". "Green Transformation (GX)" policy, passed by the Japanese
government in May 2023 places significant emphasis on the adoption of technologies based on fossil fuels,
such as gas/LNG, co-firing of ammonia, hydrogen, and CCUS. Similarly, fossil fuels projects andtechnologies to promote them are receiving corporations investment despite their official stance on
supporting a decarbonized society 5.
Furthermore, Over 140 groups from 18 countries have issued an open letter urging Prime Minister Fumio
Kishida to halt the promotion and expansion of fossil fuels, which threatens to hinder the transition torenewable energy in Asia. Specifically, plans for 34 new gas power plants and 11 LNG import terminals inthe Philippines, supported by the Japanese government and corporations, pose environmental threats tolivelihoods, ecosystems, and communities in the Philippines and Southeast Asia6.

Voices from Climate Reality Leaders in Japan
Climate Reality is a community of people of diverse background, mobilizing in various parts of our society
across Japan. This section introduces opinions from some of our active Leaders.
Tomoaki Ota
Orthopedic surgeon, Biodiversity Impacts Action Group“For the protection of human life and the ecosystem, we advocate for the mandatory
measurement and reporting of military-related greenhouse gasses.”
Kohei Suzuki
Teacher, Business and Industry Action Group“An agreement is needed to create an effective plan for achieving the 1.5-degree goal thisCOP, for a fair distribution of responsibilities among countries based on climate justice.”
Miho Soga
Writer, Climate Education Action Group“Climate justice and its related issues are largely unknown in Japan. We hope for increased
awareness and activism in Japan, aligning with global movements for climate justice.”
Climate Reality Project Japan Interns, International Students“Urgently calling for climate justice, we affirm the link between climate change impacts andfundamental human rights. Emphasizing the right to a safe and healthy environment, weadvocate for equitable climate funds, prioritizing collaboration between the Global Northand South through empathy. We seek inclusive voices, particularly from the Global South,
to ensure equitable climate funds.

Contact
The Climate Reality Project is a global initiative tackling the climate crisis through training and mobilizing
people worldwide to accelerate climate action to reach true net zero by 2050.
https://www.climaterealityproject.org/
The Climate Reality Project Japan
https://climaterealityjapan.org/
Yuiko Mitani, Program Manager
japan@climatereality.com

For a full version with detailed list of reference, please access the right QR code,or https://bit.ly/EN-positionpaper
This position paper was issued on 24th November, 2023
5Influence Map

6Fossil Free Japan