Achieving Net Zero
Policy Implications for U.S.-Japan Cooperation
On February 16, 2022, NBR convened experts from Japan and the United States for a roundtable discussion on achieving the countries’ shared goal of a net-zero emission economy. As part of this discussion, experts examined the transportation, industry, and electricity sectors, what the future of each sector will be in a net-zero world, and how cooperation on policy or key technologies between the United States and Japan can help reach these goals.
Industry, which accounts for the largest share of Japan’s primary energy consumption, draws from a broad mix of sources, presenting more challenges for certain hard-to-abate industries. Transportation on the other hand is almost exclusively powered by imported oil, raising important questions for energy security. Electricity generation in the country has shifted towards more carbon emitting sources following the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, potentially leading to difficult choices ahead for Japan’s power sector. What are some major challenges faced by these sectors as they strive to decarbonize? With the electrification of transportation and other technological advances breaking down the barriers between energy sectors, how can the United States and Japan better collaborate during this critical decade of energy transition?
Keynote Speaker
Naoko ISHII, Center for Global Commons; Institute for Future Initiatives, Japan
Panelists
Clare RICHARDSON-BARLOW, University of Leeds
Mikiko KAINUMA, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan
Mika OHBAYASHI, Renewable Energy Institute, Japan
