According to the data released by the Japanese government on April 14, Reuters, Japan's annual greenhouse gas emissions fell 3.9% year-on-year from April 2018 to March 2019, a new low since 1990, thanks to the extensive use of renewable energy and the gradual use of nuclear power.

It is understood that this is the fifth consecutive year that Japan's annual greenhouse gas emissions have declined. During the statistical period, Japan's greenhouse gas emissions were 1240 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, significantly lower than the previous year's 1291 million tons.

Since the nuclear accident in 2011, Japan has shut down several nuclear power plants and re examined the use of fossil energy. The country's carbon emissions have risen sharply, reaching a peak around 2013. Since then, Japan's nuclear power industry has been gradually restarted. So far, Japan has restarted nine nuclear power plants. In the past year, Japan's nuclear power accounted for 6% of the electricity supply, double the previous year. In addition, in recent years, Japan's renewable energy has also achieved rapid development. Renewable energy generation accounts for about 17% of Japan's power supply, up one percentage point year on year.

Data show that Japan is the fifth largest carbon emitter in the world in the past year, after the Japanese government had set a goal to reduce emissions by 26% on the basis of 2013 by 2030. The latest year's emissions show that Japan has now reduced emissions on this basis by more than 12%.

Source: China Energy News