The symposium will consider the critical issue of the measures necessary to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 percent by 2050. The issues of developing low-carbon societies (LCSs) are not only related to energy systems, but also socio-economic-industrial planning. In order to realize LCSs, it is necessary to identify development pathways to enable a shift to low-carbon emissions and low-resource consumption with well-organized strategies to achieve economic growth and improve people's daily life and so on.
The "Research project on Establishing of Methodology to Evaluate Middle to Long Term Environmental Policy Options toward Asian Low-Carbon Societies" (S-6 research project), which is supported by Environment Research and Technology Development Fund of the Ministry of Environment, Japan (MOEJ), has conducted comprehensive research from five research perspectives: (1) integrated research on scenario development towards the realization of LCSs in Asia; (2) fundamental analytical research exploring the possibility of developing LCSs in Asia and its evaluation; (3) research into the medium to long-term international and domestic institutional design options and their formation processes; (4) research to limit GHG emissions from resource consumption associated with economic growth; (5) research into concrete measures to establish a low-carbon transport system in Asia. Through these, the S-6 research project aims to show the feasible and robust pathways over the medium to long-term for the realization of a low-carbon society in Asian countries both with national and sub-national scale.
The "Research Project on Development of Low-Carbon Society Scenarios for Asian Region", initiated from 2010 under the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), aims to enhance the usefulness and the effectiveness of the existing LCS scenarios by formulating measures and policies drawing on the roadmaps. It also seeks to improve the implementation process towards LCSs through the Malaysia and Iskandar development areas as case studies. These two research projects have been informed by a cooperative dialogue between researchers in Japan and Asian countries which sought to fully utilize the knowledge and experience of all countries involved.
In order to integrate the outcomes of Asia LCS research project into development planning, and to meet the multi-faced needs and values of each Asian country, it is vital to gain the cooperation of a wide range of stakeholders, including policy makers, international aid agencies, private companies and NGOs. It is also necessary to develop a shared vision and strategy with these stakeholders, grounded in robust scientific knowledge and clearly delineated roles.
The objective of this symposium is to disseminate information about the research activities and progress to date, with a view to positively influencing actual activities towards the realization of LCSs in Asia. It aims to identify ways in which the research outcomes of the Asia LCS Society Research Project can be integrated into development planning. The symposium is also intended to identify cooperative mechanisms with stakeholders for practical research activities and policy measures which will facilitate the achievement of low-carbon pathways in Asia.
Program
*All presentaiton silides are final version.
9:30-10:00
Registration
Morning session
10:00-10:05
Welcome address: "Why is a Low-Carbon Society in Asia necessary?"
Mr. Kazuhiko Takemoto Senior Adviser, Ministry of Environment, Japan (MOEJ)CV(568KB)
Activities to cut global GHG emissions in half by 2050, demonstrated by research outcomes Presentation slides(3.28MB)
Dr. Mikiko Kainuma
S-6 Project leader Head, Climate Policy Assessment Research Section, Center for Global Environmental Research (CGER), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan CV-Abst. (587KB)
Research findings and uncertainties concerning a low-carbon society in Asia
Coordinator
Prof. Shuzo Nishioka
Senior Visiting Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan Senior Research Advisor, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
Head, the Integrated Assessment Section, Social and Environmental System Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan CV-Abst. (683KB)／Presentation slides (941KB)
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Decision Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan CV-Abst.(493KB)／Presentation slides(1.15MB)
(presentation made by Dr. Yasuko Kameyama, Senior researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan)
Director, Research Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan CV-Abst.(511KB)／Presentation slides(390KB)
Director, International Research Center for Sustainable Transport and Cities Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University CV-Abst. (617KB)／Presentation slides (6.39MB)
Afternoon Session Initiation of the “Development of Low Carbon Society Scenarios for Asian Regions” project, under the framework of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS)
Panel discussion "How will the research outcomes of the Asia LCS Society Research Project be integrated into development planning towards a sustainable low-carbon society in Asia?"
Coordinator:
Dr. Junichi Fujino
Senior researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan CV(124KB)／Presentation slides (667KB)
Panelist:Speakers in afternoon session
Prof. Ram M. Shrestha
Adjunct Professor, Asian Institute of Technology CV(77.6KB)／Presentation slides(322KB)
Dr. Jae Edmonds
Chief scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory CV (58.6KB)／Presentation slides (86.5KB)
Discussant:
Dr. Masahiro Kawai
Dean & CEO, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), Japan CV(105KB)
Prof. Ryokichi Hirono
Professor Emeritus, Seikei University, Japan Network of East Asian Think-tanks (NEAT)/ Seikei University CV (102KB)
Dr. Li Zhidong
Professor, Department of Management and Information System Science Nagaoka University of Technology CV (121KB)／Presentation slides (741KB)
Closing remarks: "Activities to implement research outcomes for the development of low-carbon society"
Prof. Kenji Yamaji
Director-General , Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), and Program Officer, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) CV(166KB)
