Japan will chair G-7 meetings on climate change, decarbonization, energy security

Japan hopes to lead discussions among the Group of Seven climate, energy and environment ministers as G-7 president, aiming to promote decarbonization while securing energy supply stability amid the crisis in Ukraine, Jiji Press reported on Sunday.
Still, Japan may face a headwind in working out a planned joint statement as it is being asked to declare when it will end coal-fired power generation. The G-7 ministers are scheduled to meet for two days from April 15 in the northern city of Sapporo, Hokkaido. Last year, the G-7 major powers considered a phaseout of coal-fired power generation by 2030 but ended up setting no deadline due to Japan’s opposition.
Japan plans to continue calling for a phaseout with no deadline while highlighting its strength in technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by mixing hydrogen and ammonia, both of which emit no CO2 when burned, into fuels for thermal power generation.