1. Japanese companies are exporting carbon dioxide emissions to Southeast Asian nations for storage underground.
2. The Japanese government aims to promote carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology to store 120-240 million tonnes of CO₂ by 2050.
3. Despite government support, CCS projects face high costs and opposition from environmental groups concerned about climate justice.
The Japanese Government is placing its faith in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies, with a goal to store 120-240 million tonnes of CO2 by 2050. Japanese companies are looking to export CO2 emissions to South East Asian nations for storage underground, with over 12 projects in progress. The move comes after the Kishida government made a Cabinet decision on the CCS Business Bill in February, aiming to financially support CCS technology operators.
CCS involves capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes like steel and cement production and transporting it for storage underground. Companies like Mitsubishi Corp and ENEOS Corp are considering liquefying CO2 emissions from thermal power plants and oil factories in the Tokyo Bay area to ship them to Malaysia for storage. Other companies, such as Chubu Electric Power and Sumitomo, are conducting feasibility studies on similar projects in Indonesia and Australia.
While the government supports CCS, the technology still faces high costs and local opposition. Environmental groups argue that promoting CCS enables the continued use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions, going against the principles of climate justice. Despite these challenges, Japanese companies are pushing ahead with their plans to export CO2 emissions for storage in other countries.