City/Transport planning and the Environment Homework 2

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December 2, 2019

1. Climate Change

At first, United Nations Development Programme: UNDP defined Sustainability Development Goals: SDGs. It is included goal about clime change as 13th. Here are some excerpts.

Supporting vulnerable regions will directly contribute not only to Goal 13 but also to the other SDGs. These actions must also go hand in hand with efforts to integrate disaster risk measures, sustainable natural resource management, and human security into national development strategies. It is still possible, with strong political will, increased investment, and using existing technology, to limit the increase in global mean temperature to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, aiming at 1.5°C, but this requires urgent and ambitious collective action.

And Facts and figures also written.

+1°C

As of 2017 humans are estimated to have caused approximately 1.0°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels.

+20cm

Sea levels have risen by about 20 cm (8 inches) since 1880 and are projected to rise another 30–122 cm (1 to 4 feet) by 2100.

Japan is acting to aim this and Paris Agreement. I'll show some governmental targets and pages. Ministry of Environment is this field specialist. As long-term drastic reduction target which is like the extra strategy to recommend by Agreement, they said department of housing become almost zero emission included private cars and 90% of power sources become decarbonization. Moreover, taking an advantage of the worldwide decarbonization trend, they scheme to sell and expansion these technologies, values (infrastructures, productions, services) and the economic social system for the large market. So they also envision the innovation and Co-Innovation with partner countries. Then they mention to enhance investments such as Green Climate Fund: GCF, Climate Technology Centre ＆ Network: CTCN, Joint Crediting Mechanism: JCM and other UNFCCC program. In here especially to focus on developing countries supports.

Similar action can be seen in JICA. They define big issues shown like this.

1: Promote robust urban development and infrastructure investment to respond to low carbon and climate change impacts

2: Strengthening climate risk assessment and countermeasures

3: Improving climate change policies and systems in developing countries

4: Strengthen conservation management of forests and natural ecosystems

And they also mention Paris Agreement as Nationally Determined Contributions: NDC. Japanese NDC aimed to reduce 26% CO2 emission (1.042 billion t-CO2) by 2030 compare to 2013. Japanese Energy Conference evaluated that it was an advanced target than other countries as 8th in the world.

Next, A-PLAT provide governmental actions. The low which aim to promote adaptation to climate change promulgated in 2018 June. It was the first official framework so each actor can act. Government expects to enhance both mitigation and adaptation as relationship between both wheels of a car. So the act plan was cabinet decision. This framework is included the evaluation by not only a committee but also public comments. Therefore they do very good work as the easy web page is published for the civilian. Moreover, follow up papers have published and examined by experts.

At last, near private department also do similar action. So Japanese companies who lead to prevent climate change are introduced web by Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Companies are RICOH, Panasonic, Shimizu (general construction), ANA, NTT Data and so on. They separated their departments such as the energy, transportation and ICT in web. Especially RICOH is introduced Renewable Energy 100%: RE100 which is the international initiative aim to produce 100% renewable energy for business each other. This introduction is also written this ministry web page.

2. Noise

		General		Road side area
		Daytime	Night	Daytime	Night
Japanese	Only residential	50	40	60	55
	Residential	55	45	65	60
	Industrial	60	50	65	60
WHO	General	70		53	45

Comparing table: detention is DB.

WHO is shown journal resources. Japanese guideline is simple that is not shown journals. However standard values are finely separated as not only both daytime and night but also road lanes and land use. Japanese almost values are severe and industry area is defined lenient. It is advanced guideline so advantageous for business. However, the area often defined industrial as semi-industrial despite the fact there is used residential.

I think land use should be optimized including noise factors, builds, roads and actual usages.

Moreover, measures are shown same page. I think it is good action. However, overall words are difficult and extra information such as journals, figures and effects is not shown here. I think it should be improve understandable and easy to deepen citizen understanding.

Moreover, WHO provides noise standard values by railway, aircraft and wind. I think it is strict and better. However, this guideline mainly focused on Europe (so it is strict). I cannot find overall one, it is necessary for especially developing countries to establish it.

3. The tragedy of commons

While it may be optimistic, energy has been replaced by alternatives and concerns about exhaustion are decreasing. Therefore, it is considered that physical resources are more problematic than the energy sources. In particular, plastics and concrete, which are indispensable for urban activities, are very important.

At present, iron is deposited from iron ore, but so-called garbage urban mines are spreading. Also, iron is not very sustainable unless the use of urban mines is promoted more actively. Iron is cheaper than the other metals so that not to enhance a recycle. The other day, I visited a steel mill, requirement performances by various client are high and variation. I think it is main factor it is difficult to reduce CO2 in a department of making steel. So scrap in urban mine cannot be used. Also, thermal reaction of steel dominant allowance of content rate of scraps in molten steel as 20-30%. Moreover, I would like to replace fossil fuel to green hydrogen in heat sources, positioned as an area that is difficult to reduce.

Concrete has a similar problem. Concrete cement is mainly produced by heating lime to a high temperature. Lime, like oil, is a product of life activities very long time ago. Abuse is therefore unsustainable. Furthermore, there is no substitute for energy materials compared to petroleum. Recycled cement exists, but has not reached the practical level. Research is also underway on cement that does not reach high temperatures during the manufacturing process. Such research is indispensable. I'm skeptical that so far cities have relied heavily on concrete. In Europe, stonework such as cobblestones was the mainstream, and Japan was a dirt floor and a wooden house. Although it is profitable that concrete is indispensable for modern architecture, it is necessary to return and adapt appropriately to the former materials and lifestyles, including the protection of culture.

Plastic is even more serious. It is widely used as a convenient material, but the material is completely fossil fuel. In addition, the microplastic problem has become a hot topic now. It is not difficult to imagine that a life that is not used as a technological lock-in is impossible, but efforts to reduce usage as much as possible are indispensable. In Europe, plastic bags are not used and all packaging is paper. Japan is not so. Hygiene is important, but an essential and fundamental review will be necessary.

By the way, palm oil is also a problem. Although it is often used in processed foods in Japan, unfortunately, there are no problems in Japan. So environmental awareness has not improved much so that it is necessary to send information first. This problem has a very negative effect overseas. In addition, not only to cutting down the existing rainforest in the manufacturing process, but after cultivation it is also made into a barren land as a slash-and-burn field. Therefore, the magnitude of the environmental impact when viewed in the long run is immeasurable. Carbon offset is very difficult because the rainforest disappears. Since information transmission alone does not match the size of this issue, there is an urgent need for powerful restraints that include embargoes. It will also be necessary to create an attitude that does not allow overexploitation by tightening the manufacturer.