Takeshi Mizunoya

A study on synthetic regional environmental policies for utilising biomass resources.

Due to the principles of mass balance, there is a trade-off between regional water pollution and global warming. However, local governments in charge of water pollution control usually try to reduce water pollution loads without thinking of the influences on global warming. This study aims to formulate a simulation/evaluation model that reflects material balance and evaluates the regional environmental policies with utilising biomass resources. In the simulation, introduction of biomass utilisation plants was chosen as an effective tool to reduce environmental pollutants and substitution occurs between nitrogen monoxide and Total Nitrogen during the emission of nitrogen into the environment. These results implies that promotion of biomass resource utilisation can improve both the environment and economy and policy making for water quality improvement should also take into account the effects on global warming of policy measures. Eliminating vertically divided administrative functions becomes essential for resolution of global environmental problems.

Agriculture and sustainable development: policies analysis of the Taihu Economic Circle in China

The purpose of this study was to establish a method to truly realise sustainable agricultural development. In this study, sustainable agricultural development is defined as the following conditions: The biomass gasification is a process which converts renewable resources into a synthetic fuel with less air pollution, water pollution and GHG emission. Environmental financial policy includes WPERT to improve environmental efficiency by optimal resource allocation and fair trade. We structure an IBMS that presents the environment system, WPERTS and socioeconomic activities situational changes over a ten-year period to analyse the effectiveness and efficiency of the policies to enhance agricultural production and improve the environment by simulation. Finally, we propose an optimal plan to achieve sustainable development of TEC in China.

An overview of current household waste management in Indonesia: development of a new integrated strategy

One of the main problems of current socio-economic activities in Indonesia is how to deal with the increasing amounts of household waste generated in urban areas. This paper discusses the main issues of the current management of household waste in Indonesia and analyses its socio-economic factors as well as introduces a new strategy to utilise and reduce household waste for current and future generations. Many large cities in Indonesia are suffering from severe problems caused by disorderly household waste handling and require an integrated management approach involving various players. The paper addresses the implementation of 3R activities by the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Public Work and Society. The study found that the introduction of biomass, pollutant and waste treatment sectors with proper advanced technologies will reduce waste generation and CO2 emissions. The study also suggests that the coordination between regional governments and political commitment are necessary and that the Indonesian Government should be open-minded about new ways to comprehensively deal with all types of waste.

Research on Environmental Tax to Affect the Economic Development and GHG Mitigation in Beijing, China

As the most industrialized and urbanized region, Beijing plays as a demonstration role to show the impact of environmental policies on the economy development and GHG mitigation. In this paper, we constructed a dynamic input-output model introducing the different levels of environmental taxes. It not only can choose the optimal tax level, explore the relationships between economy and environment, but also can analyze the future trends of the economy and GHG intensity from 2010 to 2025. The objective function is the maximized GRP, subject to GHG emissions constraint and a series of subjective functions. The simulation results illustrated that with the GHG emissions constraint as 1.5 times of the 2010 level, carbon tax as 50 CNY/t CO2-e is effective to promote the economic development and GHG emissions mitigation. Annual growth rate of GRP can be up to 6.1%. The economic growth rate increases 0.3% compared with the condition when not introducing the policies. In 2025, the GHG intensity will be 43.5 t CO2-e/million CNY, 38.8% reduced compared with the 2010 level. This research proves that the proposed environmental tax is effective to promote the economic development and GHG mitigation.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Environmental Policy for Water Pollutants Reduction in Beijing, China

The purpose of this paper is to construct a dynamic comprehensive optimization simulation model to forecast the net load of water pollutant and economic growth rate of Beijing. Our results propose an optimal policy for helping to achieve the goal of sustainable development. We performed a linear optimization modeling by using LINGO software to simulate a socio-economic model and an environmental model with input-output table. The socio-economic model represents the relationship between socio-economic activities and water pollutant emissions. The environmental model represents the changes in the amount of water pollutants generated.

Comparative study of linkage between environmental policy instruments and technological innovation: Case study on end-of-life vehicles technologies in Japan and EU

A growing population and urbanization is a challenge for finite natural resources. Without strict regulation to recycle, recover and reuse resources, waste is discarded with no value. Every year throughout the world, more than twenty-five million vehicles turn into end-of-life vehicles (ELV) and most of their valuable resources end up in landfill sites. This research analyses the effect of regulation on ELV innovation for additional recovery of resources in Japan and EU nations using patent data as a proxy. The analysis determines the statistical difference in patent activity before and after regulations were enacted in the case studies. The relevant data on ELV technologies was gathered for the period 1985-2013. The study suggests that in general environmental regulation in Japan drove innovation and reveals that environmental policy in Japan was more effective in enabling innovation compared to EU nations. Specifically, the results from these developed countries can be used by the rapidly growing developing countries in automobile manufacturing like China for amendment of their ELV regulation accordingly.

An Analysis on Social Benefit Derived by Introducing New Technology and Optimal Environmental Policy: Case Study in Lake Kasumigaura

In this study, we evaluate social benefit derived by introducing new technologies and analyze a dynamic optimal policy to improve the water quality of Lake Kasumigaura, considering both – the total ecological system in and around the lake and the situational changes over a certain period of time. We specify three sub-models (socio-economic model, material flow balance model and water cycle model) and one objective function in order to analyze the optimal policy to improve the water quality of Lake Kasumigaura. The pollutants measured in this study are nitrogen (T-N), phosphorus (T-P) and COD. These have been strongly affecting the deterioration of water quality. We found the social benefit of new technology is 1.4 trillion yen when the water pollutants reduction rate is 33 % and the social benefit rate is around 33. This means efficiency of the new technologies adopted is very high. The simulation shows that the present technology has an inadequate abatement capability for T-N as compared with other pollutants. Also it shows that we should consider the reduction of T-N as the most important subject when we formulate an environmental policy or develop new technology to improve the water quality. Excessively accumulated nitrogen gives load in environment in a circulation process. The environmental policy should be drafted associated with food self-sufficiency problem.

Study of Fair Trade Products for Regional Development

For this study, we conducted surveys of two kinds that are expected to be useful to improve management of fair trade products in agroforestry projects designed to mitigate forest degradation and poverty in Indonesia. Examination of the survey results can elucidate the subjects and solutions, thereby supporting management of sustainable activities. Effective circulation of the natural environment and local economy will be implemented. From results of survey No. 1, an appropriate price for these products was found. We were able to ascertain that it is better to increase the price of ready-made articles by approximately +200 yen when we give prices for fair trade products for university students in Japan. Because fair trade products are affected by demand, which depends on consumers’ fashion preferences, it is better to prepare products in advance of tastes related to their fashion preferences, such as prevailing or ethnic styles. Based on results of survey No. 2, products with high probability of being purchased by university students were letter paper, envelopes, greeting cards, etc. As a common point for men and women, handmade paper is effective for them to present descriptive labels by creating a brand image of products with writing properties of materials and traditional culture.

An Analysis of Economic and Environmental Impact of Sewage Treatment in Beijing City

In this study, the impact of introducing new sewage treatment technologies as a new policy is evaluated. The purpose of this study is to construct a comprehensive dynamic optimization model on forecasts for the net load of water pollutant and economic growth of Beijing. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation modeling was conducted using software LINGO to perform the linear optimization model, based on tow sub-models (socio-economic model and an environmental model) and one objective (Min TQP). The socio-economic model is based on input-output table and represents the relationship between socio-economic activities and water pollutant emissions. The environmental model represents the changes in the amount of water pollutants generated. Our results propose an optimal policy for helping Beijing City to achieve the goal of sustainable development.

Simulation Model Construction of Comprehensive Evaluation of Groundwater Reasonable and Effectively Utilization in Tokyo, Japan

After 1970s, Japan has established relative laws and regulations to constraint industrial water, building water usage and forbidden unreasonable ground water exploitation which is caused by large amount of groundwater exploitation in 1960s. Such measures solved ground collapse problem on one hand indeed; on the other hand, along with the prevention of ground water exploitation, the groundwater level recovered to the normal level, and the floating power brought by groundwater rising threatened the architecture underground. The claim for groundwater utilization is rising. Also, groundwater has high value and good quality to supply water resource. Therefore, this research aims to construct a comprehensive groundwater exploitation model to clarify the sustainable groundwater utilization and economic, environmental impacts brought by groundwater usage. This new comprehensive model combined optimal groundwater exploitation model, water cycle model and socio-economic model together to practice optimal simulation. Through computer scenarios, we can clearly ensure groundwater utilization amount and method considering the sustainable development. Furthermore, the simulation model can be applied in other regions adjusting by specific characteristics.