The Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MoEJ) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the UK (DEFRA) are jointly promoting a scientific research project: Developing visions for a Low-Carbon Society through sustainable development. They will promote studies toward achieving a Low-Carbon Society (LCS) by 2050 in collaboration, encourage other countries to engage in LCS studies, and jointly hold series of international workshops. The first workshop was held in 2006 in Tokyo. The joint research project will use a top-down or back-casting・approach to identify what is required over the long term to realize stabilization of global temperatures. The vision of a Low-Carbon Society will be described along with the scale of cuts required in GHG emissions compared to current levels. The project intends to identify what can be done now and in the future by summing up concrete actions and innovations needed, in terms of legal/social systems, technologies, and life-styles. It is intended to cover studies on the requirements of people living in the 2050 world, as well as studies on various aspects of LCS including energy supply, structure of industry, structure of cities and countryside, and transportation systems.

Executive Summary and Workshop Summary for 1st LCS workshop are:
1st LCS workshop: Go to the 1st LCS workshop page