“Together we can move mountains”

“Energy security, economic security and climate security – all at the same time” – this was the underlying theme of the trip to Japan and China undertaken in mid-June 2024 by State Secretary Jennifer Morgan, Special Envoy for International Climate Policy at the Federal Foreign Office. In Japan she exchanged views with government representatives, non-governmental organisations, young people and business enterprises with the aim of boosting partnerships dedicated to an accelerated energy transition five months ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

While floods and high tides have once again inflicted devastating damage in south-west Germany, Japan has been struggling for years with increasingly hot summers and record temperatures even in winter. In 2023, the hottest November day since weather records began in 1875 was measured in Tokyo at 27.5 degrees. 

At a meeting at the German Embassy in Tokyo, Morgan said: “I remember clearly how climate change seemed like a distant problem that we were trying to solve at the meeting in Kyoto in 1997. Today it’s an ongoing crisis that affects people all over the world on a day-to-day basis.” The intensity of climate change is increasing, the impact is growing and temperatures are constantly rising. “That’s why we must urgently achieve carbon neutrality more quickly, i.e. net zero emissions.” Morgan said there had been talks with the Japanese government on setting clear milestones for 2030, 2035 and 2040. 

Morgan’s last visit to Japan was seven years ago. She said she was hopeful that Japan would increasingly work towards net-zero emissions, too. “My visit here makes me optimistic – with regard to renewable energies, for example. A lot has happened here since 2017.” As G7 countries, Japan and Germany both have a pioneering role to play in the shift away from fossil fuels according to Morgan. This also applied to Japan’s support for other Asian countries in phasing out coal, she said: “Germany and Japan are powerful partners – and together we can move mountains.”

Jennifer Morgan always seeks dialogue with young people on her travels, and this was a focus of her visit to Japan, too. “I spoke to students and young people who work for NGOs and companies. They all share a deep concern about the climate crisis.” Engaging in dialogue with young people was a key element of foreign climate policy, said Morgan, adding that young people were now taking part in delegation trips, and the young generation had been represented at COP23 in Bonn, too. “They’re a vital part of society,” said Morgan. In Tokyo, dialogue also focussed on how younger people can be inspired to get involved in climate action. Some of those who took part in the discussion said they’d like to see the government do more to expand renewable energies. 

There was a high level of interest in Germany as well, said Morgan – though there was false information in circulation too, she noted. Morgan was able to set the record straight on two counts, for example, explaining that the electricity grid in Germany was stable and that the prices for renewable energies did not result in higher bills for people due to the use of efficient energy-saving measures. In the interview, Morgan also corrected the claim repeatedly made on social media that Germany was importing large amounts of nuclear power from other countries following its own nuclear phase-out. According to figures provided by Agora Energiewende, around a quarter (24 percent / 16.6 terawatt hours) of the electricity imported by Germany in 2023 came from nuclear power – 3.6 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption. In 2023, 56 percent of Germany’s electricity was generated from renewable sources, i.e. well over half. Germany is not dependent on nuclear power from France or other countries.

After three and a half days in Japan, Morgan travelled on to China for the first plenary session of the Climate and Transformation Dialogue launched at the last intergovernmental consultations. “At the first plenary session we now want to look together at how we can accelerate the energy transition through concrete cooperation, especially at provincial and sectoral level, so as to keep the 1.5 degree limit within reach. China’s contribution is crucial if we’re to meet the Paris climate targets and avert really serious climate damage.” While it is a pioneer in the expansion of renewable energies, China is also the largest producer of greenhouse gas emissions.