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ARTICLE 1

Japan: Environmental Issues, Policies and Clean

Technology
Welcome to Japan
Japan is a nation comprised of four main islands and thousands of smaller islands that are
located off of the northern Pacific Coast of Asia. With just 18% of its land fit for settlements,
Japan’s population tends to be clustered around major cities. As home to 36 million people,
Tokyo, the capital city of Japan, is the largest urban center in the world. Until 1853 when
United States Navy commodore Matthew C. Perry sailed his fleet into Tokyo Bay and opened
the country to the West, Japanese society was previously one of the most isolated in the world.
From the mid-19th century on, Japan embraced a policy of rapid industrialization and
aggressive economic growth.

Today, Japan is home to the world’s third largest economy, despite a series of economic
setbacks that occurred during the 1990s. The Japanese economy is powered by the production
of motor vehicles, electronics, industrial tools, steel and other metals. The country also has a
modest agricultural sector, growing mostly rice and sugar beets, along with some fruits and
vegetables. Japan is also known for its fishing and beef industries.

Environmental Issues of Japan

While Japan has become a cleaner and environmentally more responsible nation over the last
several decades, the country’s business, agricultural and industrial activities still contribute to
a broad range of environmental issues.

One of the biggest environmental issues in Japan is waste management as a result of the
massive amount of trash that the modern Japanese society. Due to the small size of the tiny
island nation of Japan, there is a lack of space that can accommodate this trash production.
Previously, Japanese municipal facilities would burn high volumes of trash; however, the
issues surrounding air pollution forced to government to adopt an aggressive recycling
policy.

The implementation of stricter waste management regulations by the Japanese government has
forced residential populations to get creative in how they dispose their trash. For example,
Kamikatsu, a small Japanese town of approximately 1,500, has devised a goal of producing
zero waste by 2020. Since the closest incinerator to Kamikatsu is in another town, it costs six
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times more to transport and burn the waste as compared to finding ways to repurpose materials
that have been thrown away. In doing so, the people of Kamikatsu have developed a systematic
method of recycling up to 80% of their waste materials. For example, at the center of the town,
one man uses a hammer to break apart large materials, like a toilet, into small parts to not only
separate the plastic or porcelain material into small parts for future use, but also access the
rubber and metal materials located inside the toilet that will eventually be sorted into one of
the 45 different recycling categories of the city’s plant.

While Japan is still working towards reducing their waste throughout the country, a recent
OECD report found that only 1% of Japan’s council waste ends up in landfills, which is
comparable to 49%4 of Australia’s waste that is eventually dumped in landfills. Additionally,
the Plastic Waste Management Institute of Japan has stated that 83% of Japan’s plastic waste
products were recycled or incinerated, all the while providing power and heat local facilities.

A second major environmental issue in Japan today involves dealing with the aftermath of the
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster. Although the plant was disabled in March of 2013,
the environmental problems associated with the disaster continue to plague the area. In fact, it
was revealed in August of the same year that radioactive water was leaking from the crippled
plant into the Pacific Ocean. According to a recent study conducted by researchers at Kindai
University, it is estimated that since the 2011 disaster that 20,100 becquerels (the International
System of Units used to measure radioactivity) of cesium, which is an extremely dangerous
fission product that is often found near nuclear reactors, into the Tokyo Bay5.

Japan has faced a serious air pollution starting in the latter half of the 20th century; however,
aggressive government policies have allowed Japanese cities to be designated by the World
Health Organization (WHO) as containing some of the cleanest urban air in the world.

Environmental Policies of Japan

In a 2010 report, the OECD Noted that Japan has made significant environmental progress
through a series of aggressive policies. In their report, the OECD stated that this progress is
especially evident in terms of reducing air emissions, water usage and municipal waste
generation. Additionally, the report also noted that Japan has made a conscious effort to move
away from a strictly ecological model of sustainable development to a more encompassing
approach that is focused on identifying the connections that exists between ecological
protection, economic growth and social values.
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Keihin Industrial District in Japan

Image credit: ziggy_mars / Shutterstock.com

These connections were further emphasized in the 2006 Third Basic Environment Plan and the
2009 New Growth Strategy. Japan's official Strategy for a Sustainable Society also described
the supports for a sustainable Japanese society that includes a low-carbon economy, smart
material-cycle measures and maintaining equilibrium with respect to the use of natural
resources. Although Japan has implemented an aggressive approach to establishing a
sustainable economy, this country lacks a central administrative body that is dedicated to
pulling together the various policy threads.

Declaring the fight against climate change a top priority at the 2008 Group of Eight Summit in
Hokkaido, Japan has also championed environmental issues on the international stage.

Clean Technology in Japan

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, the Japanese government has
strongly supported the research, development and adoption of clean technology, which was
further brought into focus after Japan began shutting down many of its nuclear reactors in the
wake of the Fukushima disaster.
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Photovoltaic power plant in Japan

Image credit: Norikazu / Shutterstock.com

According to a Fortune report, by using developed-in-Japan LED lights, Japanese businesses

are able to cut office electricity consumption by as much as 40%. Additionally, Komatsu, which
is a major Japanese machinery manufacturer, has found that they have saved over 40% in
energy costs over the last three years by installing solar panels, using underground water for
cooling and adopting clean manufacturing technology. In fact, Japan is currently the second
largest installer of solar photovoltaics (PVs).

A Clean Future for Japan?

Japan is widely considered as one of the most modern and progressive economies countries in
the world in regards to their dedication to promote environmental protection. In fact, Japan
been particularly responsive to addressing both air pollution and the harmful dangers associated
with nuclear power plants.

Some of the major obstacles Japan faces in their quest to a clean technology future appear to
be largely bureaucratic and political in nature. Despite these challenges, Japan is expected to
continue evangelizing the values of clean technology on the international stage.
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ARTICLE 2

France: Environmental Issues, Policies and

Clean Technology
Welcome to France

While France does have several booming urban areas, the country is mostly supported by and
known for its agricultural industry and products. As the European Union leader in food exports,
France has been blessed with fertile plains that span across two-thirds of its area, thereby
allowing the country to cultivate more than 50% of its land.

In addition to fertile plains, France is also home to numerous forests that cover approximately
one-third of the country, as well as various mountain ranges in the south. While climate in the
north is typically humid and cool, southern France typically has a warmer and drier climate. In
particular, the increased heat that exists in the southern part of France is advantageous for
growing grapes and subsequently supports the production of the world-famous French wine by
the world's largest winemaker.

In regards to telecommunications, biotechnology and aerospace advancements, France also

excels in promoting the development of these technologies. Additionally, France also has
robust machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, electronics and textile industries.
Nuclear power plants of France supply approximately 80% of the country's total electricity,
while is particularly crucial for a country like France that lacks any domestic oil reserves. Coal
and steel industries are focused in the northeast part of France near large coal fields.

Over the last several decades, France has undergone a period of deindustrialization and
increasing affluence that has resulted in an outsourcing of manufacturing. Similarly, an
increase in both housing and infrastructure projects of France have been built to accommodate
the country’s growing urban and coastal areas.

Environmental Issues of France

A shift away from industry over the past 30-40 years has led to many improvements in France’s
environmental issues; however, a 2014 assessment by the European Environment Agency
found that France can still improve. Although the reduction in industrial production has
improved air quality in France since the 1990s, an increase in transportation infrastructure has
caused the emissions produced from that sector to remain constant.
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In March of 2014 during the Paris smog, the French government implemented the odd/even
car band in an effort to reduce particle pollution. This initiative was successful in reducing
pollution production during rush hour by approximately 20%; however, by December of 2016,
citizens again increased their vehicle usage. To ameliorate this progress reversal, the Paris
government enacted the sticker scheme in January of 2017 that requires all drivers to display
anti-pollution stickers on any vehicle including cars, lorries, motorcycles and scooters. Each
sticker can come in one of three different colors that indicates the vehicle’s age, cleanliness
and air criteria, otherwise known as its ‘Crit-Air.’ The main goal of this sticker initiative is to
ban less clean vehicles from the city in the event of a high pollution situation. Parisian
government officials have also proposed to close roads to traffic, pedestrianize areas of the
capital city and eventually ban all diesel vehicles in an effort to reduce car use and ultimately
purify the air of this major city2.

Nuclear power makes up the vast majority of France's energy production

Image credit: Natursports / Shutterstock.com

Deindustrialization has also led to less water pollution from production facilities and urban
wastewater. While this may be true, the water pollution that originates from agricultural sources
has remained consistent in France. Although the EEA has found that phosphate levels in rivers
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have decreased by nearly half since 1998 as a result of better wastewater management and the
reduced use of fertilizers, the levels of nitrate in French rivers continue to be stable and are
rising in groundwater bodies.

Note that while 98% of France’s population has been documented to have access to clean water,
about 1.5 million French citizens, particularly those living in the rural eastern and/or southern
areas of the country, are still estimated to be drinking polluted water. Although the
contamination rate of these waters have dramatically fallen by 35% since 2012, the rural areas
of this country may still be exposed to high levels of pesticides and nitrates from fertilizers and
livestock manure, as well as natural radioactive chemicals and lime. To address this concern,
France has installed various household connections, public taps, tube wells, protected dug
wells, springs and rainwater collection sources to protect their citizens from these
contaminants3.

France’s affluence means that it also has a high demand for natural resources. While many
improvements in resource-use efficiency have been made, increased efficiency has been offset
by ever-increasing demand. In addition to an increasing use of resources, solid waste
production collected per inhabitant each year has increased by 25 percent since 1996. In their
response to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s concern on food waste,
France was the first country to introduce specific legislation that addressed food waste that has
ultimately led to only 1.8% of the country’s food production being thrown away each year. As
impressive as this statistic is, France is eager to continue the fight against food waste and plans
to have this number reach 0.9% by the year 20254.

Environmental Policies of France

As a member of the European Union, France is trying to change resource usage and production
habits to ultimately reduce environmental concerns. Many national and territorial action plans
are being carried out by the French government in an effort to reduce emissions of pollution
into water. In particular, the country’s Ecophyto action plan and designation of nitrate
vulnerable zones are leading to transformations in agricultural practices. Additionally, French
wastewater treatment plants are being improved through the implementation of various
infrastructure programs.

French policies have also started supporting the growth and development of environmentally-
friendly businesses, of which includes the country’s support for both the research and
development of clean technology. The proportion of environmental training is also contributing
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to a fast integration of ecological issues into the economy. Since 2004, the amount of
environment-related jobs has jumped by 36%. In 2012, nearly 45,000 environment-related jobs
existed in France, most of which were within the sectors of water, waste management and
renewable energy. Additionally, the amount of students taking environment-related courses has
also continued to increase, according to the EAA.

Local planners are also implementing climate change measures, environmental hazards
considerations and the creation of "green" and "blue" conservation corridors. France's urban
planning law encourages the sustainable advancement of sub-national territories in order to
balance out territorial development, environmental upkeep and reductions in contact with
hazards and nuisances. "Green" city zones are also being created along with sustainable
transport infrastructure.
Clean Technology in France

In recent years, the French government has aggressively pursued the embrace of clean
technology through the use of government subsidies. Many French corporations have also been
aggressively acquiring clean technology companies in the United States and other countries. In
2012, the French government passed laws aimed at boosting the country’s car industry based
on clean technology. Measures in the legislation included subsidies for state payments for
buyers of hybrid and electric cars from both foreign and French carmakers. Since 2015, French
citizens owning electric or hybrid vehicles that produce emissions lower than 100 g CO2/km
are eligible for federal bonuses.

Electric cars like these pictured in Nice, France in 2014 are being subsidised by the French
government in efforts to reduce carbon emissions
Image credit: Veniamin Kraskov / Shutterstock.com

The plan also includes new spending to support suppliers of energy-efficient parts, the purchase
of more electric and hybrid cars for the state and support modernization of the electric car
industry. French corporations have also been snapping up clean tech companies around the
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globe. In 2009, the French government-owned Areva bought Ausra, a solar thermal developer
and later announced it would build the first solar thermal plant in India. In 2012, Saint-Gobain
acquired Sage Electrochromics, which makes automatically tinting windows to cut heating and
air conditioning costs. Although the demand for producing green technology energy systems
has increased, these companies have struggled with having a sufficient number of skilled
workers to complete these projects. The construction industry therefore is interested in
increasing the amount of training and certification programs in energy saving and installation
that are available to the public to meet this growing demand8.