KAZE, January 2021

Can we wake to a new dawn after a long spell of darkness?
Saburo KATO
I am sure many people had a difficult time throughout the year 2020 due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some might have experienced a shortage of funds orlost their jobs. The pandemic is still active in the new year, and our ways of life havebeen gradually changing. We are not sure when the vaccine becomes affordable
and if it works on various types of coronaviruses.
Amid such difficulties, we saw two positive changes in the political spherein dealing with climate crises. One is the termination of the Trump regime in theUSA, and the other is the launch of the Suga administration in Japan.
As you know, President Trump has been neglecting scientific data andrejected the Paris Agreement, the long-awaited international framework to tackle
climate crises. On the other hand, the President-elect, Mr. Joe Biden places
importance on climate policies and international cooperation.
In Japan, Mr. Shinzo Abe, after the record-long regime, stepped down lastyear. Mr. Suga, Secretary-General of the Abe administration, succeeded Mr. Abe asPrime Minister.

Surprisingly, Mr. Suga, in his first policy speech, emphasized theneed to shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy generation.

He declared Japantargets the year 2050 to balance the GHG emission and absorption.
These remarkable events restored hope for the future energy/environment
policies of the two countries.
At this moment (late December 2020), let me sort out the core points ofclimate policies in the two countries using the following table.

Statement of the Suga administration

GHG zero-emission by 2050 towardGlobal warming is the largest issue

decarbonized society

that“The global community recognizes(Statementthat Japan has returned as ancampaign)

environmental leader. For Japan to Return to the Paris Agreement atsurvive, it is time to step forward

once. Appointed Mr. John Kerry

anddecarbonized(former US Secretary who signed

technology to capture the market.

the PA on behalf of USA) Special(Env. Minister Koizumi)

Presidential Envoy for Climate.

promoteEstablish
promotea 20billion

fundhydrogento 

humanbeings
duringarethefacingelection

A two billion dollars investment forpower

four years to tackle global warming

generation and renewable energy

and create several millions of jobs.

generation
President-elect Mr. Biden s commitment

Improve the current target of theGHG

emission

reductionin2030comparedtoBalance the GHG emission andabsorption by 2050

(26%2013

emission)If the two governments successfully implement these policies, othercountries will follow. Then, our planet will be able to escape from the climate crisisin the end.

However, the Japanese people will not swiftly change their practices

only by Mr. Suga's declaration. He needs to design and implement quite a several
policies, but that is not enough. Before anything else, he has to persuade people
that carbon neutrality by 2050 is a must, however difficult it may be.
Achieving the goal of RE100 may not be so hard but require tremendous
effort and costs for developing and controlling carbon-neutral technologies. Withoutpeople s understanding and support, Japan will not be able to give the result.
In the case of COVID-19 pandemic, people fully understood the crisis andtherefore

followed

theinstructions

andrules.

On

theotherhand,theenvironmental/climate crisis will stay for a long time, which requires patience andsupport for the government policy to tackle global warming. Coercive actions will
not be enough. It is time for all of us citizens and NPOs to consider the ways toescape from climate/environmental crises. We need to be aware that, without

successfully combat the climate crisis, human society cannot survive in the future.