"Japanese Firms Showcase New Tech at COP28"

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Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."
　
Join us as we learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories. Today's headline is…
　
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ＣＯＰ２８　日本（にっぽん）の会社（かいしゃ）が新（あたら）しい太陽電池（たいようでんち）などを紹介（しょうかい）
　
"Japanese Firms Showcase New Tech at COP28"
This news story was published on NEWS WEB EASY's website on December 12th.
　
Now let's go over some vocab words that will help us understand what's going on.
　
ＣＯＰ２８
COP28
This name refers to the 28th meeting of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
　
気候（きこう）
climate
　
Now, let's keep these words in mind as we listen.
　
「UAEのドバイで、地球（ちきゅう）の気候（きこう）について話（はな）し合（あ）う会議（かいぎ）「ＣＯＰ２８」を行（おこな）いました。会場（かいじょう）では世界（せかい）の国（くに）が、二酸化炭素（にさんかたんそ）を出（だ）さないようにする技術（ぎじゅつ）を紹介（しょうかい）しました。今回（こんかい）は日本（にっぽん）の14の会社（かいしゃ）が、新（あたら）しい技術（ぎじゅつ）を紹介（しょうかい）しました。
パナソニックは、太陽（たいよう）の光（ひかり）を電気（でんき）に変（か）える「ペロブスカイト」という物質（ぶっしつ）を使（つか）った電池（でんち）を紹介（しょうかい）しています。この電池（でんち）は、日本（にっぽん）が開発（かいはつ）しました。この電池（でんち）を使（つか）うと、太陽電池（たいようでんち）を置（お）くことができないビルの壁（かべ）などでも電気（でんき）を作（つく）ることができます。
三菱重工業（みつびしじゅうこうぎょう）は、水素（すいそ）を使（つか）ってガス火力発電所（かりょくはつでんしょ）から出（で）る二酸化炭素（にさんかたんそ）を少（すく）なくする技術（ぎじゅつ）を紹介（しょうかい）しています。会社（かいしゃ）は2030年（ねん）ごろには水素（すいそ）だけで電気（でんき）を作（つく）りたいと考（かんが）えています。」
　
Japan showcased its decarbonization efforts at COP28, which was hosted by the United Arab Emirates. That included booths where Japanese companies promoted their latest technologies.
　
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Now we'll break down a few sentences from the story that contain helpful expressions and keywords.
Let's start with the following sentence:
　
UAEのドバイで、地球（ちきゅう）の気候（きこう）について話（はな）し合（あ）う会議（かいぎ）「ＣＯＰ２８」を行（おこな）いました。
　
"COP28, a conference on the Earth's climate, was held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates."
　
The word 気候（きこう）means "climate." When talking about atmospheric conditions and phenomena such as precipitation, the temperature, and wind, we also use the words 天気（てんき）and 天候（てんこう）, which both mean "weather."
The distinction between these three terms has to do with timescale.
　
天気（てんき）describes things that occur over a short period of time—usually on a scale of minutes, hours, or days. So when the weather's nice we say 天気（てんき）がいい. When we're having bad weather we say 天気（てんき）が悪（わる）い.
　
In contrast, 天候（てんこう）refers to atmospheric conditions on the scale of several days, up to about two or three months.
　
And finally, the term 気候（きこう）refers to a phenomena that occur on a scale even longer than 天気（てんき）or 天候（てんこう）. So that could be years, decades, or even centuries.
　
OK, on to our next sentence.
　
この電池（でんち）は、日本（にっぽん）が開発（かいはつ）しました。
　
"This solar cell was developed by Japan."
　
The word 電池（でんち）means battery.
　
Here it refers to a next-generation solar cell based on a special type of material that converts sunlight into electricity. That material can be printed onto glass, which means the walls and windows of buildings could potentially be turned into energy-generating surfaces.
　
We also heard the verb 開発（かいはつ）する, which means to develop a new technology or product, or to draw out and encourage the growth of someone's intelligence or ability.
　
All right, that's it for today.
Before we go, a message for those affected by the earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on January 1st.
　
During emergencies, NHK WORLD-JAPAN compiles helpful, safety and relief information on our website. Look for the useful info banner on the main page.
　
Very good to know.
　
Alright, be sure to tune in next time for more.
　
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