Of the 158 memoranda of understanding (MOUs) that Japan has signed with accomplice nations underneath the Asia Zero Emission Group initiative (AZEC), 35 per cent use applied sciences tied to liquified pure fuel (LNG), ammonia co-firing with coal crops, in addition to carbon seize and storage (CCS), stated worldwide analysis organisation Zero Carbon Analytics.
The same ratio of agreements – 34 per cent – are tied to renewables and electrification applied sciences, akin to photo voltaic, wind, geothermal and inexperienced hydrogen. Nevertheless, solely 11 of those agreements or 7 per cent of the full contain wind and photo voltaic, in response to a Zero Carbon Analytics report printed on Friday.
“Fossil-based applied sciences, akin to ammonia co-firing, CCS, gray and blue hydrogen, and LNG have a lot increased lifecycle emissions than photo voltaic and wind,” stated Amy Kong, researcher at Zero Carbon Analytics.
As such, the prominence of those applied sciences throughout AZEC agreements raises considerations about increased decarbonisation prices and local weather impacts. The proposed applied sciences will lead to a “slower and dearer path to decarbonisation for the area,” stated Kong.
“[This] dangers derailing nationwide energy sector emissions targets set out within the Worldwide Vitality Company’s 2050 internet zero situation,” she stated.
AZEC, which was formally launched in 2023 with 11 accomplice nations throughout Asia Pacific, has been criticised in Indonesia for selling what environmentalists say are “false local weather options”, particularly because the initiatives don’t contain public participation. The organisations is backed by the Japanese authorities, which stated that AZEC will pave the best way for decarbonisation in Asian nations whereas attaining financial development and power safety.
Zero Carbon Analytics discovered that amongst Southeast Asian nations, Indonesia has signed probably the most agreements with Japan through AZEC, making up 43 per cent of agreements. Thailand and Malaysia are the second and third largest signatories to agreements with Japan, at 15 per cent and 11 per cent of complete agreements respectively.
Among the many agreements underneath AZEC are joint research on carbon seize and storage websites in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Comparable research and collaborations had been agreed on to advertise the event and use of hydrogen and ammonia in power methods.
Nevertheless, Zero Carbon Analytics citing analysis by BloombergNEF stated that utilizing ammonia at increased co-firing charges can be dearer than different low-emission applied sciences, akin to photo voltaic and wind, in Japan.
”The IPCC additionally discovered that CCS is much less efficient at decreasing emissions and dearer than actions akin to gasoline switching (electrification), bettering power effectivity, materials effectivity and enhanced recycling,” the report stated.
The brand new findings mirror one other latest report by environmental advocacy group Oil Change Worldwide, which discovered that billions in public funds had been “wasted” on carbon seize initiatives as they did not ship tangible emissions reductions.
Oil Change Worldwide had additionally criticised Japan’s continued reliance on fossil fuel-based applied sciences. “Japan makes an attempt to place itself as a pacesetter within the area’s power transition, however its prime technique is to advertise harmful, unproven applied sciences for the good thing about Japanese company pursuits,” stated the group’s report, printed final month.
Worryingly, Japan-backed initiatives in Northern Australia additionally danger harming aboriginal individuals who reside close to these initiatives, stated the group.
“AZEC not solely prolongs our dependence on soiled power, but in addition jeopardizes the livelihoods of communities on the frontlines of local weather change, delays our progress towards clear power, and threatens to lock us right into a carbon-intensive future,” Hikmat Soeriatanuwijaya, the organisation’s senior partnership and outreach officer stated, commenting on Zero Carbon Analytics’ new report.
Different consultants say that Japan can nonetheless enhance its standing as Asia’s decarbonisation accomplice by altering tack.
“It’s not that Japan is anti-renewable. It’s simply sluggish to maneuver,” stated Dr Wesley Morgan, analysis affiliate on the Institute of Local weather Threat and Response at Australia’s College of New South Wales, Sydney. The truth is, Tokyo goals to grow to be the world’s prime producer of offshore wind power and up to date fashions counsel Japan might obtain 90 per cent clear power by 2035, he stated.
“If Japan took this route, we’d seemingly see its Australian investments shift from fuel to inexperienced exports,” stated Morgan.
In the mean time, nonetheless, AZEC’s fossil fuel-heavy pursuits threatens the initiative’s credibility and by extension, Japan’s reliability as a accomplice for decarbonisation within the area, stated Hanna Hakko, senior affiliate at London-based assume tank E3G.
“Asian cooperation towards decarbonisation is critical and essential, however Japan’s assist would serve the area much better by enabling the expansion of renewable power to enhance power safety, strengthen clear financial development, and alleviate local weather dangers,” she stated.
Zero Carbon Analytics’ report emerges a number of weeks after a research by Singapore-based analysis centre ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute discovered that Southeast Asian residents consider that Japan leads the world for local weather motion, overtaking the European Union and the US within the survey for the primary time.
