News Article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/japans-renewable-energy-puzzle-solar-push-threatens-environment
Figure 1: A Floating Solar Power Facility in Japan
The article discusses about the viability of solar farms in the Chiba prefecture to meet the government’s aim of increasing renewables. Amidst Japan’s vow, as the world’s fifth largest carbon emitter, to cut carbon emissions by 26% by 2030 from 2013 levels during the Paris climate agreement, it has been developing solar farms to reach its aim. To dramatically increase their renewables’ share of the energy mix, the government is courting private investment in renewables and raising the number of large scale solar farms. This is seen as critical, as after the Fukushima disaster, Japan identified the need to diversify its energy supply to include solar, wind and micro-hydroelectric, while stimulating the local economy.
However, the mass construction of solar plants raised concerns over its potential to unleash environmental catastrophes such as floods and landslides, even as they lower carbon dioxide emissions. These solar plants translate to the destruction of large hectares of pristine forests. This presents an irony of chopping down trees, that help in absorbing carbon dioxide in the air as they grow, to be replaced with solar plants. Inevitably, the natural environment of wildlife would also be threatened with the disruption of the ecosystem.
As such, this article raises the question of whether Japan should go ahead with building solar plants to meet its aim of reducing carbon emissions and increasing renewables’ share in energy mix at the expense of its environment and the ecosystem of wildlife.
Before dwelling into the discussion, we need to first understand Japan’s relationship with its environment. On one hand, Japan’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions and to position renewables as a main energy source serves to represent Japan as a green nation. This is because building more floating solar farms will generate clean, green electricity that is able to power local households. According to the article, “over the next two decades, its (Japan’s) 51,000 solar panels will generate an estimated 16,170 megawatt hours annually – enough to power thousands of local households”.
However, Japan’s carbon-less movement seems to highlight an attempt to protect its image from being regarded as one of the world’s largest carbon emitters. In fact, the method of reaching such a goal actually leads to adverse impacts on the environment such as their disruption to wildlife and habitat, as well as the biodiversity of the affected forests. This may put Japan in a negative light given its supposedly good reputation as a green nation.
From Kirby’s evaluation on the importance of Gaitsu in shaping Japanese policymaking, he claimed that “the phenomenon of gaiatsu, is important with regard to the complex of forces that nudged the state along a more “sustainable” path”. As such, Japan occasionally depended on international opinions to institute controversial policies during the postwar period. From this viewpoint, we see a resemblance to the article as Japan is pressured to drastically cut its carbon emissions due to the vow it made in an international agreement – Paris Climate agreement. This begs the question of whether Japan is building solar farms due to Gaitsu or because it is truly seeking sustainability, stemming from its love for nature.
This brings our attention to Kalland and Aquith’s argument that Japan has an ambivalent relationship with nature. On the surface, Japan proudly claims to be a green nation with all its eco-friendly efforts, including its latest attempt to produce renewable energy through the construction of solar farms. However, Japan is in fact clearing forests using various means such as deforestation to make way for these solar farms. This clearly contradicts its claim to be a green nation due to the irreversible damages deforestation can have on forests. Drawing a parallel to the situation of the bears from Knight’s preposition on the impacts of human transformation of the mountains, the destruction of forests to clear land for the construction of solar farms would similarly lead to the displacement of deers and wild boars, thereby threatening the wildlife environment.
This brings forth the contradictory nature of this relationship as Japan is willing to sacrifice its forests for another environmental cause. This makes us ponder if such actions could actually be justifiable for a country that has such a strong love for nature and if this was just a means to an end, knowing that the solar farms would bring about more environmental and economic benefits.
Ultimately, while the actions taken to construct solar farms may result in repercussions to the overall biodiversity of the affected forests, it is irrefutable that such efforts will improve Japan’s carbon footprint and pave the way for a more eco-friendly method to source for energy supplies. A balance between its efforts to increase its renewables while not neglecting its impact on forests will thus be essential in determining whether Japan is indeed a green nation.
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References:
McCurry, Justin. “Japan’s Renewable Energy Puzzle: Solar Push Threatens Environment.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 19 Apr. 2018, www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/19/japans-renewable-energy-puzzle-solar-push-threatens-environment.
Kalland, A. and P. J. Asquith (1997). “Japanese perceptions of nature: ideals and illusions.” Japanese Images of Nature. P. J. Asquith and A. Kalland. Richmond, UK, Curzon.
Knight, J. (2000). “Culling demons: the problem of bears in Japan.” Natural enemies: people-wildlife conflicts in anthropological perspective. J. Knight, ed.London, Routledge: 145-169.
Kirby, P. W. (2011). Troubled natures: waste, environment, Japan. Honolulu, University of Hawai’i Press.
Global Energy Network Institute (n.d.). Solar Energy in Japan – Summary. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from http://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/energytrends/currentusage/renewable/solar/japan/summary.shtml
Smith, R. (2018, April 03). Japan’s biggest floating solar plant sparks into life. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://www.thenational.ae/business/energy/japan-s-biggest-floating-solar-plant-sparks-into-life-1.718330
U.S Energy Information Administration (n.d.). Solar Energy and the Environment. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=solar_environment
Nikkei (2018, July 03). Japan’s solar panel makers suffer as power plant demand fades. Retrieved October 7, 2018, from https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-Trends/Japan-s-solar-panel-makers-suffer-as-power-plant-demand-fades
Turney, D., & Fthenakis, V. (2011). Environmental impacts from the installation and operation of large-scale solar power plants. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,15(6), 3261-3270. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2011.04.023