Methods to assess the impacts of subnational sustainability

Environmental, social, and economic problems, such as global warming, natural disasters, urbanization, and poverty, are interlinked and become more complexly entwined under globalization. In 2015, recognizing global problems such as these, all United Nations member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which outlines sustainable development goals (SDGs). At the same time, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted the Paris Agreement, which has the long-term goal of mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; each nation is expected to increase its mitigation target in order to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius. To achieve the goals set out in the international agreements, nations need to identify problems and assess the impact of these problems at the subnational level, not only on a national and worldwide scale. In fact, there is an ever-growing need to construct a subnational analysis tool to identify problems and find solutions using micro- and macro-analytical tools, such as a multiregional input–output (MRIO) database. The main aim of this thesis is to develop models for sustainability analysis at the subnational level and apply them to assessing environmental, economic, and social impacts. To this end, a cloud-computing platform called the Japan Industrial Ecology Laboratory (IELab) was developed. The IELab is highly flexible in terms of its sectoral and regional resolution—enabling users to build customized Japanese MRIO tables in accordance with their specific objectives. A subnational MRIO analysis can track inter-regional trade for cities, counties, or states within a country. Footprint analysis conducted using the MRIO database can help fill in information gaps between producers and consumers on various economic, social, and environmental issues. In the case study, food loss analysis was conducted to examine regional food loss, not only from a production perspective, but also from a demand-side. As another subnational analytical method, a bottom-up technology model was presented as CO2 emission mitigation as an example. Using the model, the impact of future technological changes in the regional electricity system on Japan’s overall energy mix was assessed

Global socio-economic losses and environmental gains from the Coronavirus pandemic

On 3 April 2020, the Director-General of the WHO stated: “[COVID-19] is much more than a health crisis. We are all aware of the profound social and economic consequences of the pandemic (WHO, 2020)”. Such consequences are the result of counter-measures such as lockdowns, and world-wide reductions in production and consumption, amplified by cascading impacts through international supply chains. Using a global multi-regional macro-economic model, we capture direct and indirect spill-over effects in terms of social and economic losses, as well as environmental effects of the pandemic. Based on information as of May 2020, we show that global consumption losses amount to 3.8$tr, triggering significant job (147 million full-time equivalent) and income (2.1$tr) losses. Global atmospheric emissions are reduced by 2.5Gt of greenhouse gases, 0.6Mt of PM2.5, and 5.1Mt of SO2 and NOx. While Asia, Europe and the USA have been the most directly impacted regions, and transport and tourism the immediately hit sectors, the indirect effects transmitted along international supply chains are being felt across the entire world economy. These ripple effects highlight the intrinsic link between socio-economic and environmental dimensions, and emphasise the challenge of addressing unsustainable global patterns. How humanity reacts to this crisis will define the post-pandemic world

Methods to assess the impacts of subnational sustainability

To achieve the sustainable development goals set out in the international agreements, nations need to identify problems and assess the impact of these problems at the subnational level, not only on a national and worldwide scale. In fact, there is an ever-growing need to construct a subnational analysis tool to identify problems and find solutions using micro- and macro-analytical tools, such as a multiregional input–output (MRIO) database. The main aim of this thesis is to develop models for sustainability analysis at the subnational level and apply them to assessing environmental, economic, and social impacts. To this end, a cloud-computing platform called the Japan Industrial Ecology Laboratory (IELab) was developed. The IELab is highly flexible in terms of its sectoral and regional resolution—enabling users to build customized Japanese MRIO tables in accordance with their specific objectives. A subnational MRIO analysis can track interregional trade for cities, counties, or states within a country. Footprint analysis conducted using the MRIO database can help fill in information gaps between producers and consumers on various economic, social, and environmental issues. In the case study, food loss analysis was conducted to examine regional food loss, not only from a production perspective, but also from a demand-side. As another subnational analytical method, a bottom-up technology model was presented as CO2 emission mitigation as an example. Using the model, the impact of future technological changes in the regional electricity system on Japan’s overall energy mix was assessed

Analyzing Drivers of Low Carbon Transitions in Post-Fukushima Japan: A Cross City Comparison of Electricity Consumption

Annual data on household and business electricity consumption in Japan's 18 largest cities, in gigawatt hours (GWh) from 2001 to 2012. Also includes predictor data for a panel subsetted to 2007-2012, including the density of nonprofit organizations, environmental nonprofit organizations, and women's and gender equality nonprofit organizations. The data also include indicators for the Fukushima nuclear disaster and several policy responses to the disaster that varied by region