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John Ainger
For John Ainger's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the European Parliament in Brussels, on April 10. Von der Leyen is unleashing a barrage of trade restrictions against China, aiming to tackle unfair trade practices that are said to be contributing to social and political challenges for the bloc.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 16, 2024
EU pushing back on China's 'assertive' trade practices with probes and policy
Investigations and moves to strengthen regulations aim to tackle trade imbalances that could cause social and political challenges for the bloc.
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during day three of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai on Saturday.
WORLD / Science & Health
Dec 4, 2023
COP28 president’s fossil-fuel phaseout talk draws condemnation
The comments have raised questions over whether the conference will be able to unite behind a strong pledge targeting the elimination of fossil fuels.
A road is flooded in Mehar, Pakistan, in August 2022.
WORLD
Nov 5, 2023
Climate negotiators reach framework to aid vulnerable countries
Delegates meeting in Abu Dhabi agreed late Saturday that the World Bank will host a new Loss and Damage Fund on an interim basis for four years.
A woman in Vatican City on July 19 during a heat wave. Projecting temperatures is inherently imprecise because modern humans have never experienced such extremes.
ENVIRONMENT / Climate change
Jul 29, 2023
An overheating planet requires extreme climate solutions
Projections say warming will only get worse, but humans exert control over planet-warming pollution and can change these models’ trajectories.
Japan Times
WORLD
May 9, 2023
Phasing out fossil fuels hasn’t worked. Europe has a new idea for COP28
Some climate hawks have called for an expansion of renewables, rather than carbon capture technology that leaves the door open for more emissions.
Japan Times
WORLD
Mar 30, 2023
A climate-vulnerable nation takes the world to court over emissions
After the world failed to boost targets for cutting emissions at last year’s climate summit, the Volcanic atoll in the South Pacific is turning to international law.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 19, 2022
COP27 talks on verge of collapse after EU threatens to walk out
The EU's ultimatum throws talks into jeopardy just days after the bloc proposed to establish a finance facility to pay for the loss and damage caused by events like flooding and hurricanes.
Japan Times
WORLD
Oct 24, 2022
Fossil fuel profits can easily cover climate losses, report says
Economic losses in climate-vulnerable countries have totaled more than half a trillion dollars, yet the fossil fuel industry's profits were enough to counterbalance that several times over.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jul 15, 2022
Amid devastating heat, Europe's climate change impacts make adaptation harder
Heat waves and droughts are expected to overwhelm swaths of the continent this summer, causing fires, halting power plants and cutting crop output.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Feb 18, 2022
Coal is still raising trillions of dollars despite green shift
Commercial banks have channeled more than $1.5 trillion into the coal supply chain since the start of 2019, according to a report.
Japan Times
WORLD
Nov 2, 2021
Why the global methane pledge is a big deal for the climate
Methane traps more heat than carbon dioxide, but it degrades rapidly, meaning that action taken now to reduce its emission can have an immediate cooling effect.
Japan Times
WORLD
Aug 25, 2021
A methane hunter finds leaking gas that threatens Europe's climate goals
Invisible plumes of methane escape from Romania's oil fields, gas pipes, rusting storage containers and even a well next to a playground.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Dec 9, 2019
'Japanification' — The scourge threatening to go global in 2020
First it was Japan. Then Europe. Now investors are scanning the world for the next outbreak of stagnant inflation and tumbling yields.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores