International
Japan targets 40-50% power supply from renewables by 2040
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(Reuters) – Japan wants renewable energy to account for up to 50% of its electricity mix by fiscal year 2040 with nuclear power taking up another 20%, according to a draft of its revised basic energy policy, as it makes a clean energy push while meeting rising power demand.
As the world’s second-largest importer of liquefied natural gas and a major consumer of Middle Eastern oil, Japan and its basic energy plans are drawing global attention from oil, gas and coal producers.
While the previous energy plan’s primary focus was decarbonisation, it has shifted greater attention to energy security given heightened geopolitical risks, including the Russia-Ukraine war.
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The industry ministry’s policy draft, unveiled on Tuesday, proposes increasing renewables to between 40% and 50% of power supplies in the 2040 fiscal year, roughly doubling the 22.9% share in the 2023 fiscal year and exceeding the 2030 target of between 36% and 38%.
Thermal power usage, particularly from inefficient coal-fired power plants, is set to decrease to between 30% and 40% of the mix by 2040 from 68.6% in 2023, although the draft energy policy does not specify the breakdown of coal, gas and oil.
Advocates for renewable energy have criticised the draft, however, noting the lack of a roadmap for phasing out coal-fired power.
Mika Ohbayashi, a director at the Renewable Energy Institute, also pointed to the small target share for wind power, between 4% and 8%, compared with 20% for nuclear.
That could leave Japan lagging in wind power compared with other markets worldwide.
The draft also called for the government and the private sector to secure long-term LNG contracts to hedge against price hikes and supply disruption risks.
“It is necessary to utilise LNG-fired power as a realistic means of transition,” it said.Japan’s 2040 nuclear power target is in line with the 2030 target of between 20% and 22%, despite the challenges faced by the industry after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Nuclear power accounted for 8.5% of the country’s power supply in 2023.
The new energy plan removes the previous target of “reducing reliance on nuclear power as much as possible” and includes plans to build innovative next-generation reactors at nuclear power sites owned by operators who have decided to decommission existing reactors.
The 2040 forecasts assume an increase in electricity demand of between 12% and 22% from 2023 levels, particularly from semiconductor factories and data centres. All targets are provisional.
The new proposed energy plan is more realistic than the existing targets through 2030, some analysts say, indicating that the government wants to attract investments in renewable energy, including storage batteries, and keep LNG as a transition fuel.
International
Zuriel Oduwole, 22, Makes History as Youngest Nobel Prize Nominee
The Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce the 2025 laureate later this year.
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▪︎Zuriel Oduwole
Zuriel Oduwole, 22, an advocate for peace, education, and gender equality, has been nominated for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Oduwole has actively engaged in global diplomatic efforts, influencing discussions on education and peace, working to create opportunities for marginalized communities, and promoting meaningful change.
Her nomination recognizes her efforts and reflects Nigeria’s growing influence on the global stage.
Born in Los Angeles to Nigerian grandparents, Oduwole has engaged with over 35 world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, to discuss policy and development issues.
Her efforts focus on improving education access for marginalized communities and promoting systemic change.
At 13, Oduwole mediated a territorial dispute between Guyana and Venezuela, meeting with the then-President David Granger at the United Nations to emphasize the importance of peaceful dialogue.
In 2020, she consulted with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on global peace strategies during the Arab blockade of Qatar, which concluded peacefully in 2021.
Her advocacy for education, which she views as fundamental to both development and stability, has been central to her mission from an early age.
In 2017, at just 14, she met with then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department to push for ‘reward-based’ education programs in developing nations, particularly to improve school retention for girls.
This engagement with U.S. leadership reinforced her global efforts to promote education as a driver of peace and opportunity.
In 2022, Oduwole received the 8th UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Leadership Award in New York, recognizing her decade-long mediation efforts and advocacy for gender parity.
Born in Los Angeles to Nigerian grandparents, Oduwole has engaged with over 35 world leaders, including presidents and prime ministers, to discuss policy and development issues.
Her involvement was instrumental in ending child marriage in Mozambique in 2019, following discussions with President Filipe Nyusi.
Oduwole’s commitment to education began at nine when she observed young girls in Accra selling goods instead of attending school.
This experience inspired her to use documentary filmmaking to raise awareness about educational barriers.
In 2013, she founded “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up” (DUSUSU) to empower youth, especially girls, to advocate for education and leadership opportunities.
The initiative has reached young people across Africa and the Caribbean, providing tools to promote gender equality.
Upon learning of her Nobel Peace Prize nomination, Oduwole expressed humility and surprise. “I have never sought recognition, only to speak up where it’s needed.
“This honor reflects the urgent need to invest in young voices as agents of change,” she said.
The Nobel Peace Prize, one of the world’s most esteemed honors, acknowledges individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to peace and human rights.
Past recipients include Nelson Mandela, former U.S. Presidents Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce the 2025 laureate later this year.
Regardless of the outcome, Oduwole’s nomination underscores the growing impact of youth advocacy in global policy and sustainable peace efforts.
International
EU Congratulates New AU Chairman, João Lourenço
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The European Union (EU) has congratulated Angola President, João Lourenço on his election as the new Chairperson of the African Union (AU).
The Angolan leader was elected African Union chair at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government which held in Addis Ababa from Feb. 15 to 16, 2025.
The European bloc congratulated president Lourenço in a message posted on the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) handle.
The EU also congratulated the newly elected Chairperson of the African-Union Commission, Mahmoud Youssouf and his deputy, Selma Haddadi.
The EU said in the post that the year 2025 marked the 25th anniversary of the mutually beneficial partnership between the EU and Africa.
“Africa is a geo-political priority for the EU and we will continue our strong political dialogue and action,” the EU said in the post.
The two leaders were elected and sworn in at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government which held in Addis Ababa from Feb. 15 to 16.
Both elected officials garnered the required two-thirds majority votes of the 49 member states eligible to vote.
The 60-year-old Youssouf is taking over the reigns of leadership of the African bloc from former chairperson Moussa Mahamat, who is from Chad. Mahamat served as AU chairman for two consecutive terms since 2017.
International
Niger Republic rejecting Entry of Traders and Travellers with ECOWAS passport- Official
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An immigration officer has confirmed that the Republic of Niger no longer recognising Nigerians travelling into the country holding the ECOWAS Travel Certificate (ETC) or ECOWAS passport.
The ECOWAS Travel Certificate (ETC) and ECOWAS passport are travel documents that allow holders to move freely among the member countries of ECOWAS.
The development is coming after Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso, recently withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
While Niger maintains an open border with Nigeria, new immigration measures are being enforced at key border crossings, including Illela in Nigeria and Konni in Niger.
Consequently, Cross-border traders and commuters are now facing significant challenges as the Nigerien authorities no longer recognise the ECOWAS passport as a valid travel document.
In a phone interview with an immigration officer at the Jibia/Magama Border in Katsina State late Tuesday, the officer (name withheld), confirmed that Nigerien authorities had begun enforcing the ban.
The officer also mentioned that Nigerian immigration authorities are not yet applying the same restrictions to Nigerien citizens, waiting for further directives from higher authorities to fully implement the measures.
Although no official communication from the Nigerien government yet, affected travellers fear that the situation could worsen, disrupting trade and movement across the border.
When contacted, the Head of Communication ECOWAS Commission, Joel Ahofodji, said the regional bloc was unaware of Niger Republic’s policy to bar ECOWAS passport holders.
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