Japan, Russia to cooperate in hydrogen, ammonia to fight climate change

Japan and Russia agreed to work together on hydrogen and ammonia production, the Japanese industry ministry said on Thursday, as the long-time partners in oil and natural gas shift the focus to cleaner alternatives to fossil fuels. Japan, an investor in Russia's Sakhalin liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility and importer of Russian oil, has a target of carbon neutrality by 2050, while Russia has said it will cut its 2030 emissions to 70% of 1990 levels, a target it should achieve because of de-industrialisation since the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Hydrogen is mainly used in oil refining and ammonia is used for fertiliser and industrial materials, but both are considered to have potential to replace higher carbon fuels in future.