Japan is now aiming for a 46% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the country鈥檚 prime minister declared on Thursday.
Yoshihide Suga said Japan hopes that this 鈥渁mbitious鈥� target, a major increase from the previous figure of 26%, will allow it to 鈥渓ead international discussions on curbing emissions,鈥� Kyodo News reported.
He told a government task force that Japan鈥檚 long-term aim is to 鈥渕ake an effort to cut emissions by 50%.鈥�
The announcement by the world鈥檚 third-largest economy came on the eve of the Leaders Summit on Climate being hosted by US President Joe Biden.
Last October, Suga said Japan would achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
鈥淛apan hopes to make active contributions to resolving [climate change], and we hope to firmly lead global decarbonization efforts in the summit as we look toward COP26 [UN Climate Change Conference] and beyond,鈥� Katsunobu Kato, the chief cabinet secretary, said at a news conference earlier on Thursday.
By Riyaz ul Khaliq
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr