The Fukushima Nuclear Accident triggered an energy predicament in Japan, necessitating initiatives to decarbonise and denuclearise its energy landscape. This shift has intensified reliance on fossil fuels, notably coal, inciting widespread anti-coal disputes throughout the nation. This research scrutinises the dynamics of carbon emissions and their interrelation with climate activism narratives, emphasising the mobilisation of communities to confront issues of inequality and justice. Employing a club convergence methodology, this study analyses the patterns of carbon emissions from fossil fuels across 47 administrative divisions in Japan from 1990 to 2020. This quantitative analysis is enriched with a qualitative content analysis of anti-coal movements, utilising the comprehensive Global Atlas of Environmental Justice (EJAtlas) as a primary resource. The findings disclose pronounced sub-national disparities in energy transitions and carbon emissions. Narratives within anti-coal activism predominantly encompass themes of global warming, air and water pollution, social and cultural impacts, and health repercussions. We find that regions with historically high emissions predominantly embrace narratives of climate and environmental justice, whereas rural regions experiencing escalating emissions integrate these with narratives of peripheralisation. The opposition to technocratic resolutions and the endorsement for transitions to low carbon society are salient within these movements, resonating with the degrowth paradigm advocating for equitable and sustainable alternatives. This research underscores the pivotal role of social movements in mitigating regional emissions disparities and illustrates the evolution of grassroots movements towards embracing sustainable alternatives.

中文翻译：

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从福岛到化石燃料：日本能源转型中的碳排放、气候叙事和草根运动

福岛核事故引发了日本的能源困境，需要采取举措使其能源格局脱碳和无核化。这种转变加剧了对化石燃料（尤其是煤炭）的依赖，引发了全国范围内广泛的反煤炭争议。这项研究审视了碳排放的动态及其与气候行动主义叙事的相互关系，强调动员社区应对不平等和正义问题。本研究采用俱乐部趋同方法，分析了 1990 年至 2020 年日本 47 个行政区的化石燃料碳排放模式。这项定量分析通过反煤炭运动的定性内容分析得到了丰富，利用了全面的全球地图集环境正义（EJAtlas）作为主要资源。调查结果揭示了能源转型和碳排放方面的显着的地方差异。反煤炭行动主义的叙述主要涵盖全球变暖、空气和水污染、社会和文化影响以及健康影响等主题。我们发现，历史上排放量较高的地区主要接受气候和环境正义的叙述，而排放量不断上升的农村地区则将这些与外围化的叙述结合起来。这些运动中对技术官僚决议的反对和对向低碳社会转型的支持非常突出，这与倡导公平和可持续替代方案的去增长范式产生了共鸣。这项研究强调了社会运动在缩小区域排放差距方面的关键作用，并说明了草根运动向接受可持续替代方案的演变。