Stakeholder Dialogues
Stakeholder Dialogue on carbon pricing, February 18, 2025
Carbon pricing has emerged as a crucial policy instrument in addressing climate change, yet its successful implementation depends not only on economic feasibility but also on social acceptance. Recognizing this, the German-Japanese Energy Transition Council (GJETC) hosted a stakeholder dialogue in Tokyo on February 18, 2025, under the theme: “Exchange on Policy Frameworks about Carbon Pricing Mechanisms and Their Effects on the Industry Sector in Japan and Germany.”
The dialogue delved into the complexities of carbon pricing, focusing on how these policies impact businesses, industries, individual households, and the national economy at large. While environmental objectives are central, the challenge lies in balancing these with economic competitiveness and social equity. Participants explored various carbon pricing approaches, including carbon taxes, emission trading systems, and supportive mechanisms such as Carbon Contracts for Difference (CCfD) and Carbon Border Adjustments (CBAM). These tools aim to drive decarbonization while mitigating potential economic drawbacks.
While carbon pricing was regarded as a necessary tool for decarbonization, with some companies already invested in innovative products and carbon credits, some argued for carbon pricing only as an interim solution alongside long-term strategies. There was also a discussion about how revenue from emissions certificates could be used. Among the ideas were subsidies to promote energy-efficient decisions among end consumers and financial assistance in decarbonizing the building sector.
Concerns about the different regulatory frameworks in neighboring countries were raised, with a call for coherent cross-border policy strategies as being crucial for successful implementation of carbon pricing in international markets. The level playing field for international competitiveness remains a major challenge. It is important to take the market environment into account and to understand carbon pricing as part of a comprehensive mix of measures.
Japan is planning to introduce an emissions trading system (ETS) and is discussing the challenges. Experience from Germany shows that a gradual introduction with regular adjustments makes sense.
Stakeholder Dialogues
Young Scientists Dialogue, March 14, 2024 (online)
The German-Japanese Energy Transition Council (GJETC) strives to enhance the binational exchange between researchers investigating energy matters related to Japan and/or Germany. It focuses on exploring energy solutions and policies that are in line with climate change mitigation commitments while it must be ensured that these are compatible with security of energy supply, social well-being and international competitiveness.
With the format of the Young Scientists Dialogue, the GJETC seeks to widen its perspective by inviting young scientists (age under 40 years) with a particular focus on the Energy Transition in Germany and/or Japan to share their ideas with the Council members. Young scientists from various disciplines are encouraged to present their scientific findings or to introduce a question/topic for comparative German-Japanese analysis that could be discussed by the Council in the future.
Five young scientists (2 from Japan, 3 from Germany) followed the invitation and presented their ongoing studies in the second Young Scientist Dialogue held on March 14, 2024.
The pitches and discussions in the first part of the dialogue addresses socio-economic perspectives on energy-related policies, such an evaluating of the current status and future prospects of sufficiency policy in Germany, a comparison of a “tech-driven”, “socio-economic transformation” and “balanced” scenario to achieve the ambitious 1.5°C Climate Target, and a call to include inequality and justice into energy policy research, highlighting the importance of addressing societal disparities in energy access and affordability.
Part two of the event feature a pitch in an analysis of potential and barriers associated with hydrogen and other clean fuels as an alternative energy source, particularly for import from overseas for domestic consumption. The second pitch provided first results of a survey on the significance of technology framing for gaining public support, taking “green” hydrogen as an example case.
Each pitch and part of the event was followed by a Q&A session which brought forth interesting and inspiring suggestions and ideas for both the Young Scientists’ as well as the GJETC’s work.
Exchange on Policy Frameworks that support the Transition to a Carbon Neutral Building Sector in Japan and Germany
GJETC Stakeholder Dialogue, 3rd March 2023, 15:30 – 18:00 JST / 7:30-10:00 CET, Institute of Energy Economics, Tokyo (IEEJ) / online
The promotion of energy and resource efficiency in existing and new buildings takes up a major role in both Germany and Japan; especially while taking the integration of renewable energies into account. There are several crucial fields of interest within this area such as the optimization of societal impacts or the decarbonization of the building sector.
In both countries, the decarbonization of the building sector is lagging behind the targets. Thus, the general question of the dialogue is how the gap can be closed and what policies and measures can speed up decarbonization processes.
On the 3rd of March, all these different aspects were discussed within a GJETC Stakeholder Dialogue in Tokyo under the title “Exchange on Policy Frameworks that support the Transition to a Carbon Neutral Building Sector in Japan and Germany”.
More information: German Organisational Secretariat of the GJETC: gjetc[at]ecos.eu
Summary of the Stakeholder Dialogue in Tokyo, March 3rd 2023
Press Releases:
Increasing the Ambition Level of Climate Mitigation – New Challenges and Opportunities for International Cooperation on the Energy Transition
First Young Scientist Stakeholder Dialogue of the German-Japanese Energy Transition Council (GJETC), 1st September 2021 (online)
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that combined efforts at the international level to tackle global threats are both necessary and possible. It also shed light on the World’s potential to develop, produce and disseminate (technological) goods and generate public financial support needed to deal with the pandemic – in breathtaking speed and amount. To accelerate the Energy Transition, to meet the targets of the Paris Climate Agreement, and to cope with the effects of climate change, similarly decisive policy measures are the order of the day.
The German-Japanese Energy Transition Council seeks to contribute to the acceleration of energy transitions by fostering the binational exchange between German and Japanese researchers investigating energy matters related to Japan and/or Germany. While also considering the security of energy supply, social well-being and the international competitiveness of the economy, the council intends to develop energy solutions and policies that are in line with the ambitious climate change mitigation commitments of both countries. To widen its perspective and intensify the dialogue among researchers engaged in that research field the GJETC particularly invited young scientists (age under 40 years) to present their current research activities which possibly stimulate new research fields within the Council. Together with the Council members, the invited researchers got the chance to discuss this term’s study topics of the GJETC.
Stakeholder Dialogue with German and Japanese representatives of companies engaged in decentral energy generation and supply, 24th January 2017, JDZB Conference Hall, Berlin
The decentralization of the energy industry is a key dimension of the energy transition. While Germany has already gained experience here, this development is still to come in Japan due to the liberalization of the energy markets. Council members discussed together with representatives of the central and decentralized energy industry in Germany and Japan on the opportunities and challenges of this structural change.