At COP26 (26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) held in the United Kingdom in 2021, 46 countries and regions agreed on the phase-out of coal-fired power generation in the 2030s for developed countries, and in the 2040s for the entire world. Unfortunately, Japan has not joined this trend. However, this is a global trend, and pressure on Japan may increase in the future. Converting to renewable energy is a path we must take.

The National Institute for Environmental Studies has identified 57 options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in areas close to our daily lives. According to the report, the most effective reduction measures were installing solar panels on homes and improving energy efficiency. The second most effective was to switch to electricity derived from renewable energy sources. According to a researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, "The government must strengthen its decarbonization policies, but it is also important for individuals to take steps to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.

Electricity derived from renewable energy sources is called green power. It refers to electricity generated from solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, solar thermal, standby heat, and other naturally occurring heat, as well as biomass (organic matter derived from plants and animals).

Municipalities are also beginning to make progress. Tokyo's Minato Ward has launched the "MINATO Renewable Energy 100" program to promote the use of renewable energy sources for 100% of the city's electricity. Minato Ward is home to popular downtown areas such as Shimbashi, Akasaka, and Roppongi, as well as many large corporations. In fiscal year 2018, this one ward alone emitted 3.74 million tons of carbon dioxide, the largest amount of any municipality in Tokyo. Electricity consumption accounts for 70% of the city's carbon dioxide emissions. To counter this, the "MINATO Renewable Energy 100" program is designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by encouraging a switch to electricity derived from renewable energy sources.

episode 14
Make the Switch to Green Power