11 Economy-Wide Material Flow Analysis and Its Projection …
173
constantly increase and, in 2030, reach in the range between 11.8 and 14.6 MtonTMR/Mton. It must be noted that the average of annual increasing rate is 10.0% in
the last 23 years from 1990 to 2013, while it is expected to be 32.3–45.2% in the
projected time scale from 2013 to 2030.
EW-MFA is often used for the environmental analysis (e.g. embodied emissions).
the concept of TMR is highly associated with environmental and ecological issues
due to mining activities and the specific TMR represents the environmental and
ecological impacts arising from mining activities (Kosai and Yamasue 2019). The
continuous increase in the overall specific TMR shows that the material use in Japan
in last two decades has caused increasingly environmental and ecological impacts
in the global mining origins. In fact, global warming potential (GWP) and TMR
have a different trend (Kosai and Yamasue 2019). Differing from carbon emissions,
this study highlighted the environmental and ecological issues arising from mining
activities, considering the potential acceleration of overall specific TMR.
11.4 Conclusion
This study has computed the specific TMR of high level of disaggregation of material
categories in the bottom-up approach and chronologically analyzed the material
input in Japan on both DMI and TMR basis in 1990–2013. Then, considering the
relationship between economic development and material utilization, EW-DMI and
EW-TMR in 2020 and 2030 have been projected by using the historical trend of
material input in the course of economic growth. Findings are as follows:
• From 1990 to 2013 in Japan, DMI has constantly decreased by 25%, while TMR
has increased by 18%.
• The reduction of fine aggregate, gravel, domestic limestone, and stone in the
domestic resources primarily contributed to the decrease in DMI.
• Steam coal, iron ore, liquefied natural gas, and coking coal in the imported
resources primarily contributed to the increase in TMR.
• It is projected that, compared to 1990, DMI will decrease by approximately 40%
in 2020 and 58% in 2030 while TMR will increase by 24–27% in 2020 and by
23–46% in 2030.
• The overall specific TMR has continuously increased by 57% from 4.0 MtonTMR/Mton in 1990 to 6.3 Mton-TMR/Mton in 2013. Then, it is forecasted to
constantly increase and, in 2030, reach approximately in the range between 12
and 15 Mton-TMR/Mton.
• The forecasted acceleration of overall specific TMR alarmingly raises the
environmental and ecological burdens arising from mining activities.
Acknowledgements This research was supported by the Environment Research and Technology
Development Fund (S-16 and 3K163001) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation
Agency of Japan.
173
constantly increase and, in 2030, reach in the range between 11.8 and 14.6 MtonTMR/Mton. It must be noted that the average of annual increasing rate is 10.0% in
the last 23 years from 1990 to 2013, while it is expected to be 32.3–45.2% in the
projected time scale from 2013 to 2030.
EW-MFA is often used for the environmental analysis (e.g. embodied emissions).
the concept of TMR is highly associated with environmental and ecological issues
due to mining activities and the specific TMR represents the environmental and
ecological impacts arising from mining activities (Kosai and Yamasue 2019). The
continuous increase in the overall specific TMR shows that the material use in Japan
in last two decades has caused increasingly environmental and ecological impacts
in the global mining origins. In fact, global warming potential (GWP) and TMR
have a different trend (Kosai and Yamasue 2019). Differing from carbon emissions,
this study highlighted the environmental and ecological issues arising from mining
activities, considering the potential acceleration of overall specific TMR.
11.4 Conclusion
This study has computed the specific TMR of high level of disaggregation of material
categories in the bottom-up approach and chronologically analyzed the material
input in Japan on both DMI and TMR basis in 1990–2013. Then, considering the
relationship between economic development and material utilization, EW-DMI and
EW-TMR in 2020 and 2030 have been projected by using the historical trend of
material input in the course of economic growth. Findings are as follows:
• From 1990 to 2013 in Japan, DMI has constantly decreased by 25%, while TMR
has increased by 18%.
• The reduction of fine aggregate, gravel, domestic limestone, and stone in the
domestic resources primarily contributed to the decrease in DMI.
• Steam coal, iron ore, liquefied natural gas, and coking coal in the imported
resources primarily contributed to the increase in TMR.
• It is projected that, compared to 1990, DMI will decrease by approximately 40%
in 2020 and 58% in 2030 while TMR will increase by 24–27% in 2020 and by
23–46% in 2030.
• The overall specific TMR has continuously increased by 57% from 4.0 MtonTMR/Mton in 1990 to 6.3 Mton-TMR/Mton in 2013. Then, it is forecasted to
constantly increase and, in 2030, reach approximately in the range between 12
and 15 Mton-TMR/Mton.
• The forecasted acceleration of overall specific TMR alarmingly raises the
environmental and ecological burdens arising from mining activities.
Acknowledgements This research was supported by the Environment Research and Technology
Development Fund (S-16 and 3K163001) of the Environmental Restoration and Conservation
Agency of Japan.