Chapter 3
Concept and Framework of the East Asian
Low-Carbon Community
Weisheng Zhou
Abstract Achieving a low-carbon society is a common goal among developed and
developing countries. Despite the uncertainties related to addressing global climate
change, it is essential to tackle this issue in order to ensure a sustainable decarbonized
society. To solve this global problem, local efforts coordinated at a national level are
indispensable. The realization of a wide-area low-carbon society through crossborder multilateral cooperation and policy integration is also required. Realization
of a wide-area low-carbon society that transcends national borders will create a
sustainable and vibrant international society in harmony with economic development, pollution control, and society, where measures are taken to mitigate and adapt
to global climate change. This chapter presents an analysis of characteristics such as
the uncertainty of the climate change problem and also describes the concept of the
East Asian Low-Carbon Community and its multilayered structure centered on
Japan, China, and South Korea.
3.1 Introduction
Despite the many uncertainties associated with climate change, the realization of a
low-carbon society is an indispensable and necessary condition beyond the achievement of a sustainable decarbonized society. In order to address global climate
change, local efforts by individual countries are indispensable, while simultaneously, realization of a wide-area low-carbon society through cross-border multilateral cooperation and policy integration is desired. East Asia is one of the most
diverse regions in the world, with multiple countries at different levels of development. It is facing challenges such as climate change and environmental destruction
and resource and environmental constraints associated with economic growth. These
problems are particularly concentrated and acute in East Asia.
W. Zhou (*)
College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki,, Osaka, Japan
e-mail: zhou@sps.ritsumei.ac.jp
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
W. Zhou et al. (eds.), East Asian Low-Carbon Community,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4339-9_3
61
Concept and Framework of the East Asian
Low-Carbon Community
Weisheng Zhou
Abstract Achieving a low-carbon society is a common goal among developed and
developing countries. Despite the uncertainties related to addressing global climate
change, it is essential to tackle this issue in order to ensure a sustainable decarbonized
society. To solve this global problem, local efforts coordinated at a national level are
indispensable. The realization of a wide-area low-carbon society through crossborder multilateral cooperation and policy integration is also required. Realization
of a wide-area low-carbon society that transcends national borders will create a
sustainable and vibrant international society in harmony with economic development, pollution control, and society, where measures are taken to mitigate and adapt
to global climate change. This chapter presents an analysis of characteristics such as
the uncertainty of the climate change problem and also describes the concept of the
East Asian Low-Carbon Community and its multilayered structure centered on
Japan, China, and South Korea.
3.1 Introduction
Despite the many uncertainties associated with climate change, the realization of a
low-carbon society is an indispensable and necessary condition beyond the achievement of a sustainable decarbonized society. In order to address global climate
change, local efforts by individual countries are indispensable, while simultaneously, realization of a wide-area low-carbon society through cross-border multilateral cooperation and policy integration is desired. East Asia is one of the most
diverse regions in the world, with multiple countries at different levels of development. It is facing challenges such as climate change and environmental destruction
and resource and environmental constraints associated with economic growth. These
problems are particularly concentrated and acute in East Asia.
W. Zhou (*)
College of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki,, Osaka, Japan
e-mail: zhou@sps.ritsumei.ac.jp
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
W. Zhou et al. (eds.), East Asian Low-Carbon Community,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4339-9_3
61