Increasing pressure to disavow coal support fails to sway Japan

Tokyo

JAPAN, faced with increasing calls from environmentalists to phase out coal, is standing by its support of the fossil fuel, saying it will help developing countries adopt the best available technologies for coal-fired power plants.

Pressure to rein in carbon dioxide emissions is intensifying, especially after the Paris Agreement, a global deal reached in December to tackle climate change. Environmentalists have criticised Japan for being one of the biggest providers of coal financing among Group of Seven (G-7) nations and for being a laggard in switching to cleaner energy sources.