AZEC Countries to Cooperate to Cut CO2 in 3 Sectors; Research Center Set Up in Jakarta

By Takashi Itoda / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

20:00 JST, August 22, 2024

JAKARTA — Ministers from Asian countries have agreed to work together to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the three sectors of power, transportation and industry at an Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) meeting.

The ministerial meeting for AZEC, which promotes decarbonization in Asia, was held in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The meeting adopted a joint statement calling for cooperation in the three areas of financing, human resources and technology as part of efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the sectors.

To reduce emissions while contributing to economic growth, the AZEC member countries noted in the statement that dependence on fossil fuels would have to be reduced in the three sectors, which have large energy demands.

In the power sector, the joint statement said that the use of hydrogen and ammonia, which do not emit CO2 when burned, should be promoted. And in the transportation sector, it stated that the use of sustainable aviation fuels should be developed to create a sustainable fuel supply chain.

The statement also included a plan for the members to cooperate on drawing investment from private companies and promoting technology deployment.

Alongside the meeting, the member countries set up the Asia Zero Emission Center, a research institute, in Jakarta.

“Japan will contribute to the growth of Asia by supporting the development of regional decarbonization markets,” said Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Ken Saito at a press conference after the meeting.

AZEC was first proposed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2022. Japan, Australia and nine members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, excluding Myanmar, have joined the body.

In Asia, which accounts for more than half of the world’s CO2 emissions, China has been increasing its presence in the fields of electric vehicles and solar power generation in recent years. Japan is poised to take on China by leading AZEC.