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This paper conducts a comparative analysis of green industrial policy strategies recently advanced by the European Union (EU) and the United States (U.S.), and extends insights to the evolving policy landscape in Japan. Its analysis underscores how the European strategy is characterized by a systematic approach that balances emissions constraints...

This report examines the feasibility of Japan not only achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, but also making significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, so as to make its cumulative emissions as small as possible, thereby contributing to the global goal of limiting the average temperature increase to below 1.5°C compared to the pre...

The Forest Declaration Assessment is a continual and collaborative process achieved collectively by civil society organizations and researchers. Since 2015, the Forest Declaration Assessment has published annual updates on progress toward global forest goals. The Japanese case study in the 2023 Assessment Report provides a very brief snapshot of...

This paper examines the effects of financial incentives, particularly electricity prices, on residential solar photovoltaic system installations. We shed light on the importance of a factor that has been largely overlooked in the literature on the adoption behavior of low-carbon building technologies: the distinction between retrofit and new-build...

This publication aims to promote local climate actions by disseminating information on the announcement by 31 local governments in the Kyushu region of Japan on their commitment to be “Zero Carbon Cities” by 2050. It compiles the background, current situation and challenges, along with domestic and international trends on a net zero carbon society.

This paper highlights the challenges for realising Japan's long-term strategy (LTS) for decarbonisation, also referred to as the mid-century strategy (MCS), and the role of scenario analysis in the formulation and strengthening of this strategy.　Although the government of Japan declared on 26 October 2020 to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to...

While the initial pieces of evidence indicate that COVID-19 induced economic slowdown and lockdown present short-term benefits to air quality and the environment, these also pose a double-edged challenge in the long-term. On one side, the slowing down of the economy can have an adverse impact on countries’ ongoing efforts towards climate mitigation...

This paper explores Japan's energy and emissions-related choices up to 2050 using the Japan 2050 Low Carbon Navigator (Low Carbon Navigator), an energy and emissions scenario simulation tool based on the 2050 Pathways Calculator model. Using illustrative examples and scenarios, the paper demonstrates some unique features of the Low Carbon Navigator...

Addressing the prevailing mode of high-carbon lifestyles is crucial for the transition towards a net-zero carbon society. Existing studies fail to fully investigate the underlining factors of unsustainable lifestyles beyond individual determinants nor consider the gaps between current footprints and reduction targets. This study examines latent...

Achieving long-term climate mitigation goals in Japan faces several challenges, starting with the uncertain nuclear power policy after the 2011 earthquake, the uncertain availability and progress of energy technologies, as well as energy security concerns in light of a high dependency on fuel imports. The combined weight of these challenges needs...