Open Letter to Marubeni Corporation
Fix your loophole-filled new decarbonization policies

＊＊　The number of organizations joined to this letter action has become 33, dated on December 19th.＊＊

On December 13, the undersigned 31 have submitted the joint letter in response to Marubeni Corporation’s announcement dated September 18, 2018 (Notification Regarding Business Policies Pertaining to Sustainability: In Relation to Coal-Fired Power Generation Business and Renewable Energy Generation Business).

Thirty one NGOs/organizations considering huge influence of coal on the future climate change signed to this letter. Since we are still encouraging to get signatures during COP24, may have more organizations to join.

Here is our main points of our request to Marubeni in order to improve its policies relating to coal-fired power generation plants, to consistent with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

• Disclosure of information: Disclose appropriate information in order to be publicly accountable for your commitment to cut coal-fired power net generation capacity in half by 2030 (e.g., how you come up with the 3 gigawatts, the ratio of Marubeni’s investment in the share of generation capacity in each project, a schedule to divest from coal or cut greenhouse gas emissions, etc.)
• Coal-fired power plants at the operating stage: Actively accelerate your schedule to divest, cease delivery, and shut down operations, especially prioritizing any plants with serious problems (e.g., major human rights concerns, strong local resistance, etc.), for example, by reconsidering contract terms or conditions.
• Coal-fired power plants at the construction stage: Stop construction and conduct a “zero-based” review to consider whether or not to continue construction each one, with careful consideration of needs and alternatives, and a real option of project cancellation.
• Coal-fired power plants at the planning stage: Cancel all of them (i.e., where construction has not yet commenced and/or various approvals, licences or contracts are still pending) and seriously consider sustainable solar and wind renewable energy alternatives, premised upon Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the local community, and premised upon a real local need for the electricity.

Please see our letter in PDF, and let us know if we can add your organization name on this letter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

No Coal Go Green! Campaign News Release: Marubeni’s Announcement on Pulling Out of Coal-Power: A Significant Step Forward, but Need to Close Loopholes to Meet Paris Goal (September 18, 2018)

Marubeni Corporation News Release: Notification Regarding Business Policies Pertaining to Sustainability (In Relation to Coal-Fired Power Generation Business and Renewable Energy Generation Business) (September 18, 2018)

Contacts

Hozue Hatae
Development and Environment Team Leader, Friends of the Earth Japan　（hatae@foejapan.org）
Yuki Tanabe
Program Director, Japan Center for Sustainable Environment and Society　（tanabe@jacses.org）
Kimiko Hirata
International Director, Kiko Network（khirata@kikonet.org）