Japan on Saturday called on G20 members to accelerate policy actions to tackle climate change issues, as well as for securing affordable and stable energy for economic growth, by integrating energy and environmental policy.
"As the Paris Agreement took effect, the momentum to tackle climate change across the world has grown; it has become also a significant issue to secure affordable and stable energy for economic growth," Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Hiroshige Seko said in an opening speech at the G20 energy and environmental ministers meeting in Karuizawa, Japan.
"Now it is necessary to integrate energy and environment policy with those aspects. In this context, we need to send a strong message from the unity of G20 members, here in Karuizawa," Seko said.
G20 members account for roughly 60% of global oil production and about 80% of oil consumption.
Seko said Japan is implementing its recently adopted long-term strategy under the Paris Agreement to achieve an ambitious vision of a "decarbonized society" through a virtuous cycle of innovation as an ultimate goal, as well as aiming to accomplish it as early as possible in the latter second half of this century, while boldly taking measures toward the reduction of GHG emissions by 80% by 2050.
"Japan strongly supports key technologies such as hydrogen, CCUS, in particular carbon recycling technology, which focuses on carbon utilization," Seko said. "I would like to work together with G20 members in an international collaboration in such area, and promote private finance, and business environment for deployment of innovation as three pillars," he added.
Saudi Arabian energy minister Khalid al-Falih, US Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette and US Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler are also attending the meeting. Other delegates include the energy ministers of Australia, Turkey and Indonesia, Russia's deputy energy minister, Brazil's mines and energy minister, India's power minister and the vice administrator of China's National Energy Administration.
Energy security has dominated discussions on the sidelines of the event, after oil tanker attacks near the Strait of Hormuz exposed risks to global oil and LNG trading. Asia depends heavily on crude oil and gas flows through the key waterway.
