The EU and Japan agreed in Brussels to deepen climate cooperation, strengthen clean energy transition efforts and coordinate on future climate targets, transparency reports and preparations for COP31.
The European Union and Japan agreed to deepen bilateral climate cooperation at a High-Level Dialogue on Climate Change in Brussels, as both sides push towards climate neutrality while navigating shared economic and geopolitical challenges.
Senior officials from both partners stressed that accelerating the clean energy transition is critical not only for achieving climate goals but also for strengthening security, independence and competitiveness, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing crisis in the Gulf region.
The meeting was opened by Kurt Vandenberghe, Director-General for Climate Action at the European Commission, and DOI Kentaro, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs at Japan’s Ministry of the Environment.
During the talks, the EU and Japan reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and to the Paris Agreement, underlining the urgency of scaling up climate action this decade to keep the 1.5°C temperature limit within reach by the end of the century.
Both sides reviewed progress on their 2030 Nationally Determined Contributions and discussed future targets, including Japan’s plans for 2035 and 2040. They also agreed to work closely to ensure a successful COP31 summit in Antalya later this year.
The dialogue further highlighted the importance of advancing the Paris Agreement’s ambition cycle, with both parties pledging to strengthen international cooperation on the preparation and delivery of Nationally Determined Contributions and Biennial Transparency Reports for countries that have yet to submit them.
Officials also revisited the EU-Japan Green Alliance, launched in May 2021, and explored ways to reinforce cooperation in support of their respective climate agendas.
As part of this effort, the EU and Japan agreed to promote bilateral exchanges throughout 2026 focusing on industrial decarbonisation, climate adaptation, carbon pricing and carbon credits, carbon capture use and storage, sustainable finance and climate action at the sub-national level.
