During their virtual summit held on Thursday, the European Union (EU) and Japan announced their decision to form a Green Alliance. This agreement, which is the first such initiative between the two sides, highlights the importance of climate action amid continued cooperation on economic growth, technology, and sustainable development. The meeting saw the participation of Charles Michel, the President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, and Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister of Japan.
Following the conference, the EU and Japan, in a joint statement, said, “At the heart of our agenda for economic growth and recovery is a green and digital transformation that will increase productivity, create new decent and quality jobs, cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve our resilience, and protect people and planet as we aim for net-zero by 2050.” Hence, they agreed to implement “enhanced 2030 emissions reduction targets/Nationally Determined Contributions” to further their joint ambition of “reaching net-zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050”. They also decided to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on hydrogen in the coming few months. The two sides further said that natural gas will form a critical part during “the energy and climate transition” that will be instigated by the newly formed Green Alliance.
Moreover, the two sides agreed to work together in several multilateral forums, including the United Nations (UN), G7, G20, and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). They also highlighted the importance of accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the Addis Ababa Agenda.
The parties then spoke of several global conflicts and reiterated their commitment to promoting regional dialogues in conflicts in Afghanistan, Belarus, Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Hong Kong, and others. More importantly, they discussed the significance of “peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” and called for a peaceful resolution to the issue in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This comes amid surging tensions between Taiwan and China in recent months, with Chinese military activities in the area stirring up Taiwan and its key ally, the US. Meanwhile, Japan has always maintained that it has close ties with Taiwan and has committed to working with the US to oppose any military aggression by Chinese forces.
Thursday’s discussions further strengthened the EU-Japan partnership, with the two sides stepping up and positioning themselves as advocates of a rules-based economic order. The summit is particularly important as it not only deepens the EU-Japan partnership but also sets the agenda for the upcoming G7 meet in June and the G20 meeting in October.
EU, Japan Announce Green Alliance During Virtual Summit
During their virtual bilateral summit, the European Union and Japan announced a Green Alliance to work towards becomes climate-neutral while bolstering trade and commercial ties.
May 28, 2021
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES