3.3.2.5 Specificity of Carbon Dioxide
Greenhouse gases targeted for emission reduction under the Kyoto Protocol include
carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The IPCC Fifth
Assessment Report estimates that carbon dioxide contributes more than 60% of
artificially emitted greenhouse gases (IPCC 2013). Carbon dioxide has the same
impact on global climate change, regardless of its source or location. There are not
many victims, and it is non-point source pollution, so anyone can be a perpetrator
and is also a victim. Damage becomes apparent over a long period of several
generations; the damage will continue for a long time, so an international response
is urgently required.
3.3.2.6 Scientific Uncertainty of Climate Change Issues
Warming of the climate system has been evident since 1950, and there have been
many changes that have not been seen in previous decades to hundreds of years. The
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report concludes that human activity is highly likely (95%
or greater) to have been the dominant factor in the warming observed since the
mid-twentieth century (IPCC 2013). However, the causal relationship of climate
change is not fully understood, and the probability of damage is not clear; thus it
represents a highly uncertain problem. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize measures and roadmaps for greenhouse gas reduction that have significant reduction
effects, low costs, and low risks and contribute to sustainability. It is crucial to build
a wide-area low-carbon society that crosses national borders. The Kyoto Mechanism
defined by the Kyoto Protocol is a combination of principles (actual realization of
reduction target) and flexibility (efficient realization of reduction target), considering
the scientific uncertainty of climate change.
The tenacity and uncertainty of the climate change problem, the characteristics of
CO 2 (similar effects regardless of emission location), and the beneficial effects of
CO 2 countermeasures will contribute to global sustainability. Also, the beneficial
effects will contribute to the development and transfer of innovative technology, the
transformation of economic and social systems, and strategic innovation to build an
internationally reciprocal, wide-area, low-carbon society that transcends national
borders. This will allow the achievement of sustainable development in developing
countries. This wide-area low-carbon society is named the East Asian Low-Carbon
Community, centered on cooperation among Japan, China, and South Korea. The
concept was first proposed in 2008, and subsequent research has sought to bring
about its existence (Zhou 2008; Zhou et al. 2010, 2014).
3 Concept and Framework of the East Asian Low-Carbon Community
73
Greenhouse gases targeted for emission reduction under the Kyoto Protocol include
carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), hydrofluorocarbons
(HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). The IPCC Fifth
Assessment Report estimates that carbon dioxide contributes more than 60% of
artificially emitted greenhouse gases (IPCC 2013). Carbon dioxide has the same
impact on global climate change, regardless of its source or location. There are not
many victims, and it is non-point source pollution, so anyone can be a perpetrator
and is also a victim. Damage becomes apparent over a long period of several
generations; the damage will continue for a long time, so an international response
is urgently required.
3.3.2.6 Scientific Uncertainty of Climate Change Issues
Warming of the climate system has been evident since 1950, and there have been
many changes that have not been seen in previous decades to hundreds of years. The
IPCC Fifth Assessment Report concludes that human activity is highly likely (95%
or greater) to have been the dominant factor in the warming observed since the
mid-twentieth century (IPCC 2013). However, the causal relationship of climate
change is not fully understood, and the probability of damage is not clear; thus it
represents a highly uncertain problem. Therefore, it is necessary to prioritize measures and roadmaps for greenhouse gas reduction that have significant reduction
effects, low costs, and low risks and contribute to sustainability. It is crucial to build
a wide-area low-carbon society that crosses national borders. The Kyoto Mechanism
defined by the Kyoto Protocol is a combination of principles (actual realization of
reduction target) and flexibility (efficient realization of reduction target), considering
the scientific uncertainty of climate change.
The tenacity and uncertainty of the climate change problem, the characteristics of
CO 2 (similar effects regardless of emission location), and the beneficial effects of
CO 2 countermeasures will contribute to global sustainability. Also, the beneficial
effects will contribute to the development and transfer of innovative technology, the
transformation of economic and social systems, and strategic innovation to build an
internationally reciprocal, wide-area, low-carbon society that transcends national
borders. This will allow the achievement of sustainable development in developing
countries. This wide-area low-carbon society is named the East Asian Low-Carbon
Community, centered on cooperation among Japan, China, and South Korea. The
concept was first proposed in 2008, and subsequent research has sought to bring
about its existence (Zhou 2008; Zhou et al. 2010, 2014).
3 Concept and Framework of the East Asian Low-Carbon Community
73