Professor Noel Healy Publishes on Resistance to Phasing Out Japanese Coal Power Plants

Noel Healy, a professor in the Geography and Sustainability Department at Salem State University, just published a new paper in the journal Energy Policy with Gregory Trencher PhD of Tohoku University Japan. The study, led by Trencher, examined various factors driving the wave of new coal-power construction in Japan after the Fukushima nuclear accident.

The paper discovered that Japan has 30 new coal plants planned, already operating or under construction since Fukushima. Japan's coal fleet will increase by one-third.

Trencher, the lead author, stated "the study outlines how many Japanese plants to operate beyond 2030 when OECD nations must phase-out coal. Japanese state agencies are actively exporting coal power technologies to developing countries. Many of these are employing vintage sub-critical technology + dodge environmental assessments due to planning loopholes."

The international collaboration examines and debunks much of the coal regimes narratives in Japan. Healy, of SSU, stated that “we are in a climate emergency and yet G20 governments continue to subsidize coal by $64-plus billion per year. And Japan is among the worst culprits. The G20 promised to phase out coal a decade ago. Opposing and obstructing the continued financing of fossil fuels is central to limiting the worst effects of climate breakdown."