Adapting global shared socio-economic pathways for national scenarios in Japan

A Correction to this article was published. This article has been updated.Shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs) are alternative global development scenarios focused on the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. However, global SSPs would need revised versions for regional or local assessment, which is the so-called extended version, because global narratives may lack region-specific important drivers, national policy perspectives, and unification of data for each nation. Thus, it is necessary to construct scenarios that can be used for governments in response to the SSPs to reflect national and sub-national unique situations. This study presents national SSP scenarios, specifically focusing on Japan (hereafter, Japan SSPs), as well as a process for developing scenarios that qualitatively links to global SSPs. We document the descriptions of drivers and basic narratives of Japan SSPs coherent with global SSPs, based on workshops conducted by local researchers and governments. Moreover, we provide a common data set of population and GDP using the national scale. Japan SSPs emphasized population trends different from global SSPs and influencing factors, citizen participation, industrial development resulting from economic change, distribution, and inequality of sub-national population, among others. We selected data sets from existing population projections that have been widely used by Japanese researchers; the data show that the population and GDP of Japan SSPs are expected to be about 20-25% less than global SSPs by 2100

Introduction of Low-Carbon Community Energy Systems by Combining Information Networks and Cogeneration-Type District Heating and Cooling Systems

Achievement of a low-carbon society is becoming extremely important. In this report, we introduce an example of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reductions and energy savings, using a local energy-control system. Our research is focused on the town of Shinchi in the Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Shinchi is pursuing initiatives to create a low-carbon, energy-efficient society and a disaster-resilient community. The National Institute for Environmental Studies provides academic support for the design and planning of low-carbon community energy systems by the local government of Shinchi, based on the Basic Cooperation Agreement. For the redevelopment of the Japan Railway (JR) Shinchi Station district that is being carried out, construction of a cogeneration-type district heating and cooling system is currently in progress. CO2 reductions of about 20% can be expected by introducing this community energy system. To support these initiatives, we have developed an information and communication technology (ICT) system that shares a wide range of local information to support energy conservation. By analyzing electricity consumption data from the ICT, we evaluated the pattern of residential power consumption and confirmed that the project supports energy-saving behavior within the community. Additionally, the community energy project in the JR Shinchi Station district enables adjustment of the supply and demand balance

Background Factors Affecting Visual Acuity at Initial Visit in Eyes with Central Retinal Vein Occlusion : Multicenter Study in Japan

Purpose: To determine the baseline characteristics of patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) that were significantly associated with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the initial examination. Methods: This was a retrospective multicenter study using the medical records registered in 17 ophthalmological institutions in Japan. Patients with untreated CRVO (≥20-years-of-age) who were initially examined between January 2013 and December 2017 were studied. The patients’ baseline factors that were significantly associated with the BCVA at the initial examination were determined by univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses. Results: Data from 517 eyes of 517 patients were analyzed. Univariate analyses showed that an older age (r = 0.194, p < 0.001) and the right eye (r = −0.103, p < 0.019) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Multivariate analyses also showed that an older age (β = 0.191, p < 0.001) and the right eye (β = −0.089, p = 0.041) were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit. Conclusions: The results indicate that an older age, a known strong factor, and the right eye were significantly associated with poorer BCVA at the initial visit to the hospital. These results suggest that functional and/or anatomical differences between the right and left eyes may be involved in these results

Low carbon urban development strategy in Malaysia - the case of Iskandar Malaysia development corridor

Sustainability policies that have quantitative emission or carbon footprint measurements are important in view of climate change and current rapid urbanization in developing countries like Malaysia. Although sustainability policies are mentioned in national development plan as early as in the 1990s, many of these policies are piecemeal and expressed qualitatively. In achieving environmental sustainability, planning of city or a region can be more functional and implementable by using low carbon city concept. Planning a low carbon city uses sustainable development principles; this demonstrates a high level of energy efficiency using low carbon energy sources and production technologies. It also adopts patterns of consumption and behavior that are consistent with low levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the urban areas. The planning of the fast developing region of Iskandar Malaysia, which is located in southern part of Peninsular Malaysia, provides a good opportunity for urban managers to incorporate the ideas of low carbon cities in this proposed high growth urban conurbation. This paper aims to explore implementation of the concept and vision of low carbon scenarios and examine the strategies toward the reduction of CO 2 emission. This study also prepares a quantitative scenario study on the establishment of low carbon urban development in Iskandar Malaysia