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https://theconversation.com/which-future-japans-net-zero-vision-for-the-region-boosts-gas-and-threatens-green-exports-in-australia-236486>
"Japan has a very clear vision of what the Asia-Pacific’s clean energy future
looks like – decarbonisation, but done slowly and with a longer role for coal,
oil and gas.
It was on full display this week as energy ministers from nine South-East Asian
nations, Japan and Australia gathered in Jakarta to hash out a shared vision
for Asia’s energy future, under Japan’s Asian Zero Emissions Community (AZEC)
initiative launched last year.
But there’s a clear problem here. Japan’s vision clashes directly with
Australia’s efforts to become a green export superpower. And worse, Japanese
investment is a key reason why Australia has emerged as an unlikely gas export
giant.
Energy security is front of mind for Japanese policymakers worried about
keeping the lights on across their import-dependent archipelago. While Tokyo
does have green energy plans, its short-term push is all about prolonging the
life of fossil fuels – coupled with carbon capture.
Labor came to power promising to act faster on climate change. By decade’s end,
Australia should be largely run on renewables, and Canberra wants to make clean
exports a reality.
But Japan is making that harder by financing gas exploitation in Australia.
This could lock our fast-growing and energy-hungry region into much longer
reliance on dirty fossil fuels and questionable carbon capture plans.
There’s a real danger Australia’s green export plans could be washed away by a
tide of new fossil fuels."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
