Climate Policy Engagement Analysis
Climate Policy Engagement Overview: Canon Institute of Global Studies (CIGS) actively promotes positions which appear to deny climate change science. It has also opposed key policies related to renewables, energy transition and the GHG reduction targets in Japan.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: CIGS does not appear to accept the science of climate change, suggesting global warming would be rather positive for human health and agriculture in its working paper series published in 2020 on its website. A column published on its website in 2020 appears to be producing misinformation around climate change science, suggesting it has not affected the world negatively, as well as denying causal relationship between climate change and climate induced weather phenomena. This position on denial was also presented in a briefing submitted at a METI committee meeting attended by CIGS in 2020. Evidence from 2021 suggests CIGS does not support government regulation to respond to climate change, based on the column published on its website. Similar position was communicated in 2020, where CIGS appear to oppose the use of any government regulation to respond to climate change. In its column published on its website in 2021, CIGS does not seem to support urgent action to reduce emission, emphasizing climate solutions and pathways that heavily rely on technology (e.g. CCS) to reduce emissions from GHG-intense energy sources in long-term.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: At a submission made to a METI committee meeting in 2021, CIGS appear to be opposing need for immediate GHG emissions reductions. At a METI committee meeting held in 2021, CIGS submitted documents that suggested the organization does not support carbon tax, suggesting it was an inefficient measure. At a METI committee meeting held in 2021, CIGS submitted documents that suggested the organization does not support renewable energy legislation. In its position paper published on the website in 2020, CIGS opposed GHG emissions standards for Japanese companies. This position was reiterated at a METI committee meeting in 2021 where CIGS advocating for policymakers to oppose specific GHG emissions standards.
Positioning on Energy Transition: In 2020, CIGS appear to advocate in its column for the maintenance of the current energy mix, opposing the increase of the share of renewables in electricity generation by suggesting they cause power instability. In 2020, at a METI committee meeting, CIGS directly advocated to policymakers to maintain current energy mix, stating energy supply should be maintained cheap by utilizing fossil fuels. In a position paper published on its website in 2021. CIGS appear to suggest the transition of energy mix is unaffordable, as well as advocating for a slower paced low-carbon transition than of that advised by the IPCC, supporting a continue role for coal power. In a Jan 2022 interview with Energy Forum, CIGS stated that instead of renewables, coal power should be promoted in Japan's Clean Energy Strategy due in the summer 2022 and within Asia. In the same interview, CIGS criticized the Cabinet Renewable Energy Taskforce's decision to abolish capacity markets to promote the entry of renewable energy companies. CIGS appear to be supporting nuclear power generation but not as a transitional method in 2020 as suggested in its column.