Core Project4. Developing Visions for a Low Carbon Society and Integrated Analysis of Climate Policies

Research Plan > Core Research Projects > 2007 Research Results

[2007 Research Results]

Many organizations are engaged in activities to work towards the future stabilization of our climate. Discussions are taking place around the world on topics such as international approaches for the post-Kyoto world, ways to achieve a low carbon society by 2050, and methods to reach long term climate stabilization targets. The objective of our research is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of such climate change mitigation strategies and to feed the results of our studies back into the policy community and the general public.

Key areas to be addressed to achieve a sustainable low-carbon society

Achieving a low-carbon society requires significant changes in lifestyles and practices in both developed and developing countries. To encourage these changes, it is vital to raise awareness of individuals and organizations to the impact of our actions on all aspects of the global environment. In the 3rd Workshop of JAPAN-UK Joint Research Project on a Sustainable Low-Carbon Society（LCS），“Roadmap to a Low Carbon World”，80 participants from 18 countries discussed 4 topics. The outcomes are listed in Table 1. We surveyed the reactions of approximately 200 audience members to these outcomes and found that more people became positive they could reduce more GHG emissions after seeing the outcomes （Fig. 1）. Now we are studying whether LCS can be achieved more effectively by further considering “when,” “Who” and “how” to reduce carbon release.

Post-2012 international framework for climate change mitigation

The Kyoto Protocol sets mandatory greenhouse gas emission targets for the period 2008-2012. At the Bali meeting （COP13） in 2007, it was agreed that the post-2012 international climate change regime should be decided by the end of 2009. In contrast to a decade ago, when negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol were taking place, there have been a lot of activities outside the UN system, such as the EU emissions trading scheme and emissions trading at state level in the United States. Such diverse activities could become the keys to reaching agreement on future action to tackle climate change.

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Quantitative evaluation of mitigation policies

China, the US, India, Western Europe, and Russia are the five major regions that account for around 60% of the total GHG emissions reduction potential in the world. The top 10 regions, including Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Brazil, and South Asia, account for around 80% of the total reduction potential. Major sectors with large reduction potentials vary depending on the socio-economic characteristics in different regions, however, large reduction potentials in power generation and industry sectors are attributed to the use of low energy-efficient technologies particularly in Non-Annex I countries. These sectors account for around 50-60% of world total reduction potential. The residential/commercial and transportation sectors account for around 10% and other sectors related to non CO2 emissions, such as agriculture, MSW, and F-gas emission sectors, account for around 20%.