Japan Pledges Support to Help ASEAN Decarbonise its Economies

Ministers from Japan, Australia and Southeast Asian countries have agreed to work together to achieve decarbonisation by making use of hydrogen and ammonia that do not emit carbon dioxide when burned.

The first ministerial meeting of the 11-member Asia Zero Emission Community, or AZEC, took place in Tokyo on Saturday, Japan’s NHK reports.

Asian nations emit about 60% of global CO2 emissions, their energy consumption has also been increasing as their economies have developed. The countries acknowledge that they need to achieve decarbonization without harming their economic growth.

In a joint statement, the AZEC ministers pointed to the need to achieve both a shift from fossil fuels to new energy sources while maintaining economic growth.

Japan has therefore pledged to provide financial support to help build necessary infrastructure with other Asian nations, to develop technology for hydrogen and ammonia and various renewable energy sources and technologies depending on the industrial structure and geographical conditions of each country.

As the chair of the Group of Seven summit to be held in Hiroshima in May, Japan aims to take the initiative in discussions related to decarbonisation, and to promote its technology across Asia.

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