The Japanese government and some companies are justifying themselves, arguing for example, “Japan’s latest coal-fired power is highly efficient, contributing to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.” However, such argument is not understood in the rest of the world, facing bitter international criticisms.
This Information-Package is intended to elucidate, the myths of arguments supporting the current coal-fired power export policy. We publish this now, when the decade begins leading to 2030, the decisively important year in our battle against climate crisis, in anticipation of progress in future energy policy debate based on precise data.
[Information Package]
5 Fallacies of Japan’s Coal-fired Power Export Policy
＜Table of Contents＞
Growing international criticism against Japan’s coal-fired power exports
5 fallacies of arguments justifying coal-fired power exports
Reality 1: “High-efficiency coal-fired power generation (USC)” reduces CO2 emissions, but only a mere few percent less and emits twice of gas.
Reality 2: Even if switched to high-efficiency coal-fired power, the total emissions can be cut by only 20%, locking-in over 80% of emissions for an extended period of time.
Reality 3: China equals Japan in coal-fired power generation technology, having a construction track record more than 60 times the level of Japan.
Reality 4: (1) Actual public coal-fired power export record is around 1% of infrastructure export goal of 30 trillion yen.
Reality 4: (2) Japan has completely lost to China in price competition for high-efficiency coal-fired power Chinese/S. Korean technology adopted even in Japan’s publicly financed export deals.
Reality 5: Use of renewable energy expanding in Southeast Asian countries as well; it is Japan’s very role to support their shift away from coal-fired power.
（Reference)
