SMBC Group announces it will reduce its credit balance of coal power project finance to zero by 2040, but it’s still not aligned with the Paris Agreement (English follows)
本日、三井住友フィナンシャルグループ(以下、SMBCグループ)が統合報告書2020 (注)を公表し、2040年を目途に石炭火力発電向けの貸出金残高をゼロにするとの目標を掲げました。与信残高ゼロに向けた目標スケジュールの設定はみずほFGに続いて邦銀として2行目で、一定の前進を歓迎します。しかし、依然としてパリ協定の長期目標から乖離しており、更なる方針強化が必要です。
パリ協定の長期目標を達成するためには、先進国では2030年までに、途上国であっても2040年までに石炭火力発電所の運転を完全に停止する必要があります。しかし、2040年に与信残高をゼロにしたとしても、融資を行った石炭火力発電所はその後も運転することが想定されています。パリ協定の長期目標との整合性を確保するためには、返済完了後の運転期間も想定した上で、より早期の与信残高ゼロを達成することが求められます。
プロジェクト・ファイナンスの返済期間は通常15年程度と想定されることから、新方針は当面の間、新規の融資契約を行う余地を残しています。例えば、ブンアン2(ベトナム)やマタバリ5-6号機(バングラデシュ)がその余地に含まれていると考えられますが、これらの案件は、パリ協定の長期目標と整合しない他にも、支援対象国における電力供給過剰状態の深刻化や、再エネのコスト低下に伴う経済合理性の欠如、現地の環境汚染や住民への人権侵害など、様々な問題が指摘されています。したがって、これらの融資決定は行うべきではありません。
さらに、SMBCグループの新方針の対象は石炭火力発電のプロジェクト・ファイナンスのみに限定されており、石炭火力発電への依存度が高い企業・新規発電所および関連インフラ建設を計画中の企業向けの融資、引受、株式・債券投資については削減の対象としていません。気候危機を悪化させている石炭採掘や他の化石燃料関連事業、更に森林破壊についても、資金提供の停止や残高削減の方針は示されていません。これらの点で、海外金融機関の投融資方針の水準と比べると、依然遅れをとっています。
したがって、新規石炭火力発電事業への融資については、早急に例外なく停止する方針を掲げるとともに、石炭火力発電や石炭採掘への依存度が高い企業・新規発電所および関連インフラ建設を計画中の企業への投融資(企業融資、株式・債券の引受及び保有)から撤退する方針を掲げるべきです。また、科学的知見およびパリ協定の目標に基づき、石炭のみならず、炭素排出量の多い他の化石燃料産業や林業・農業関連企業への投融資の抑制方針を掲げることが重要です。SMBCグループには、さらなる方針の強化を求めます。
<脚注>
https://www.smfg.co.jp/investor/financial/disclosure.html
環境・持続社会」研究センター(JACSES)
気候ネットワーク
国際環境NGO FoE Japan
国際環境NGOグリーンピース・ジャパン
国際環境NGO 350.org Japan
メコン・ウォッチ
レインフォレスト・アクション・ネットワーク(RAN)
本件に関する問い合わせ先
「環境・持続社会」研究センター(JACSES) 田辺有輝 tanabe@jacses.org
July 29, 2020
SMBC Group announces it will reduce its credit balance of coal power project finance to zero by 2040, but it’s still not aligned with the Paris Agreement
On July 29, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group) published its 2020 Annual Report (FY2019), and stated that it will reduce its credit balance of project finance related to coal-fired power generation to zero by 2040. We welcome SMBC Group’s step forward with its coal policy, which leads SMBC Group to be the second Japanese bank after Mizuho Financial Group for setting a timeline for reducing its coal-related credit balance to zero. However, the new policy still does not align with the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals, and needs to be strengthened further.
To achieve the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals, developed countries need to completely stop the operation of coal-fired power plants by 2030, and developing countries by 2040. Even if SMBC Group reduces its credit balance to coal-fired power generation to zero by 2040, the coal-fired power plants SMBC Group financed would likely continue to operate after 2040. In order to ensure consistency with the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals, SMBC Group needs to reduce the credit balance to zero earlier than 2040, taking into account the duration of operation of the coal plants after the loans are repaid.
Since the repayment period of project finance is usually expected to be about 15 years, the new policy leaves room for financing new coal-fired power projects for the time being. These would include, for example, Vung Ang 2 in Vietnam and Matarbari unit 5 and 6 in Bangladesh. However, these projects are already facing serious problems, including inconsistency with the Paris Agreement’s long-term goals, an excess supply of electricity in the host countries, the lack of economic justification due to the ever-falling costs of renewable energy, environmental pollution at the proposed sites, and human rights violations affecting local residents. Therefore, SMBC Group should not finance these projects.
Furthermore, the new policy of SMBC Group is only limited to project finance for coal-fired power plants, and does not cover corporate loans, underwriting, or investments in debt and equity of companies that are heavily dependent on coal-fired power generation or companies planning to build new coal-fired power plants or associated infrastructure. Also, there is no mention of any policy to terminate financing or reduce the credit balance of coal mining, other fossil fuel industries or deforestation, all of which accelerate climate change. In this respect, SMBC Group’s policy still lags behind the investment and loan policies of international financial institutions.
For the above reasons, we urge SMBC Group to establish a policy that immediately stops financing for all coal-fired power projects, without any exceptions. We also urge SMBC Group to declare a policy of withdrawing from loans and investments (corporate lending, underwriting and holding of debt and equity) for companies that are heavily dependent on coal (power generation, mining, etc.), and companies planning to build new coal-fired power plants or associated infrastructure. It is also important to establish policies that restrict financing of not only coal-related industries, but also other fossil-fuel-related industries as well as forestry and agribusiness companies, based on science and the Paris Agreement targets, as they are also major sources of carbon emissions. We call upon SMBC Group to further strengthen its policies and reflect the concerns indicated above.
Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
Kiko Network
Friends of the Earth Japan
350.org Japan
Mekong Watch
Rainforest Action Network (RAN)
Contact:
Yuki Tanabe, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
Email: tanabe@jacses.org