Rio+20GreenEconomyJapan
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Expectation for Green Economy: a Message from Japan as a Miniature of the World
Towards Rio+20 Interview with Prof. Koyu Furusawa of Kokugakuin University,
Board member of JWCS and chief executive of JACSES
[NGO global forum in Earth Summit, Rio 1992 Photos by Koyu Furusawa]
--Until today, the Earth Summit has been overseeing the changing times like a metering rod.
Coming Earth Summit, dubbed „Rio+20‟, is said to be “a restart after 20 years since 1992,
Rio conference”
What is the implication of coming Earth Summit and what trend of the times does it have?
Prof. Koyu Furusawa (Honorifics and first name omitted from below): The Earth Summit in
1992 was the starting point of a new age in many ways. The Cold War structure was
dismantled by the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. With that, questions have been raised
from the point of view of "the global scale problem" for the first time, and such recognition
has since spread across the world. For example, the original draft of “If the world were a
village of 100 people”, which became the talk on the streets, was written by Dr. Donella
Meadows. She was a member of the Club of Rome (famous for the report “The Limits to
Growth”). She conveyed simple messages from “If the World were a Village of 1000 People”,
which became the origin of “If the world were a village of 100 people”. Coming Rio+20 will
not be a nation-centered but a global-citizen-centered summit. Going back to the
fundamental standpoint, it will be an assembly for discussing what has happened in the
past 20 years in our global village, and what is going to happen in the 20 years ahead in our
global world.
In Earth Summit 92‟, two legally binding agreements, Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) and Convention on Biological Diversity, were signed. Now we are facing
and being asked to reconsider whether we can really make these treaties, which haven‟t
been quite utilized yet, work. UNFCCC puts an agenda for ending the “fossil fuel
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civilization”, which breaks down the balance on the earth by using up exhaustible resources
such as petroleum. It also touches upon the related issues of global warming and resource
problem. And also Convention on Biological Diversity is expected to build “living life
civilization” which has a respect toward coexistence with nature in harmony. According to
the Bio-diversity Convention, we now see that there is actually great value in the traditional
cultures of the indigenous people and their rights and way of living, which have been
ignored so far. Thinking afresh about the meaning of these two treaties born in Rio, I‟m
convinced that these are the two significant keys for transforming our modern civilization.
And in between 1972, 1992, and 2012, in spans of 20 years, history has been repeated in
spiral, and the world has been changed more globally and dynamically. The United Nations
held "Conference on Human Environment" in Stockholm in 1972. It was the first major
conference on environmental problem in The United Nations.
This was the first wave of the swell of concerns on environment. Minamata disease patients,
victim of organic mercury poisoning, from Japan also participated in this conference. They
complained about the serious pollution problems and local corruption behind Japan's
high-speed economic development. And what is more, it turned out this kind of disaster was
not just a local problem of one country. For instance, DDT was found in the penguins of
Antarctica. (DDT: organochlorine pesticides, banned in Japan since 1971) These chemical
problems, including pesticide contamination began to spread around the world. For instance,
due to such influences, birds couldn‟t hatch eggs well. The red signal from wild life and the
serious problem of their survival was one of the reasons behind the Conference on Human
Environment in 1972. Shortly thereafter, an oil crisis occurred in 1973, and "Limits to
Growth" gathered wide concerns in the world for the first time. The world population
increased about 4 times over the 100 years of the Twentieth Century from 1.5~1.6 billion to
6 billion. The increase in energy consumption is nearly twice as huge, a 7~8 fold increase.
The voices of "Limits of the earth"," Limits of resources" have been repeated in history like
walking down a spiral staircase. And it has become more globally and seriously. The span of
these 20 years is a more expanded form, and it is linking to Rio +20.
--It is said that the themes of Rio+20 are “green economy” related with poverty eradication
and “institutional framework " related with reform of the world system and the United
Nations. What are they going to discuss?
Furusawa: Underpinning the growth of energy use and population is economic system,
basically. And by its globalization, the economy has become affluent with mass consumption
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enabled by the industrial production system since the Industrial Revolution. Moreover, it
has been apart from “real economy” recently, and emerging “financial economy”; which gains
profits by foreseeing how to withdraw investments, has come to dominate. Now, in this
world economy the scale of financial assets is inflated to more than 3.5 times big against real
economic activities. In particular, the problem of the US economy is very large. The US
holds a debt (total debts of federal/state/local government, business, household and domestic
financial sectors) which is estimated almost a match for World GDP (known as world gross
domestic product or GWP). They are up to their neck. Meanwhile, if emerging countries like
China and India has evolved economically on a large scale as an alternative, then the earth
will no longer hold everything. Burden of the risk that we are holding now is just the tip of
the iceberg and there are enormous hidden contradictions. We are forced to choose a
structural change and the great transformation to find the exit.
Rio +20 has an aim to improve a socio-economic constitution of the world so called "green
economy". It is called "A green economy in the context of sustainable development and
poverty reduction," but has not decided clear definition. However, the green economy would
be considered not only as an economic level but also as a system to capture and hold social
issues such as the alleviation of poverty and human rights. Along the way, UN reform has
been required and also to be more specific, it is necessary to create a coexistence world in
harmony by transforming various mechanism, institutions and the institutional framework.
Traditionally, interaction of domestic and global economy and political system has been
studied through the concept of "regime of international relations". Recently, various systems,
institutions and power balance relations beyond the region of the country has been
generated. Especially, the environmental regime has been formed as an intermediate
position. For example, climate change towards a low carbon society is called "carbon regime".
There are various problems and conflicts over it. We need to think about how we can adjust
the complex issues in term of sustainability.
Particularly noteworthy in both the environment and economy is flow of military spending.
Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, military spending was reduced by the end of the Cold
War. Philosophical principle presented at the Rio Summit in 1992 is as follows. Huge
military expenditures used in the Cold War should allot for human welfare, North-South
problem, eradication of poverty and environmental issues. And we should live in more
peaceful together as global citizens. Once, world military expenditure was reduced, yet
again rising well beyond $ 1 trillion annually today. It is nearly 10 times more than the total
amount of the world's ODA (Official Development Assistance), about twice the amount of the
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cost which will be required to combat global warming (according to Stern Review) and 20
times of the amount required to be added to achieve MDGs (Millennium Development
Goals).
When considering a green economy, we need to think about not only the introduction of
energy conservation, renewable energy, the investment in Smart City, but also, in addition,
we need to think about shifting to a fund of peaceful green economy from military
expenditures, as the springboard of a major transformation. The thing is how we can convert
this green economy into the economic conditions in the current global crisis and a very large
strain and risk. There is a challenging task that whether we can open our eyes to the
fundamental structural condition, and come out with effective countermeasures.
Originally ecology and economy are the same etymology. They are derived from the Greek
word οἴκος. It represents "den", the world we are living. The word "Economy" was born as
meaning of managing οἴκος. On the other hand, the term "ecology" was born as meaning of
understanding the relationship between οἴκος and living nature conservation. In modern
society they became entirely different meanings. But now again, people are considering that
this is the starting point to integrate. Namely, it is the time to integrate an economy into
greening (ecology).I think a change of awareness of people in "Richness" is happening and
we are reconsidering about Happiness. In societies, without having to convert into money,
we have many things to be able to enrich the world. Without having economic growth to be
evaluated as money and energy intensive goods, without a job for earning a lot, without
work greedily, without much money, people eventually go live slowly and peacefully.
Instead of dining out, people can reasonably enjoy the food that everyone brings along as a
pot-luck party. We should focus more on real “living economy” not diverting money,
shaping the world outlook for the economy in excess. Or should I say we will be on the way to
"super economy". "Sufficiency Economy" has begun to be recognized among the people in
Thailand and other Asian countries. Rather than just see the world through their own
selfish interests, focus on relationships with others for living together. How dare we feel
enriched if there are unfortunate people beside us? Again, we will have the richness of our
heart, only after we share the wealth and prosperity with others. In this sense, we must
consider broadening more of the whole concept of the "Green Economy".
-- Do you think the actual "UN reform" can produce a process for symbiosis? Also is there
helpful hint? And toward what?
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Furusawa: I suspect that EU and the U.S. may not work well in Rio+20. And emerging
countries like Brazil, China and India also seem powerless when it comes to the
“philosophical principal”. If countries can not fully function, an anchor should be "United
Nations". UN should transcend all national interests and conflict of interests. There is a real
need for UN to attempt finding a capability in cooperation with the NGOs. In order to
position Rio +20 as the breakthrough, we must build up a series of concrete measures. At the
same time, International Year of Cooperatives will be also held in 2012. In the
reconstruction of the aftermath of the 3/11/2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, the SDF
and U.S. forces, major courier and some convenience stores have been highly regarded. But I
believe the cooperative sector has committed the most to some extent, such as Miyagi
consumer Coop activities which organized local people widely. They supplyed various aid in
cooperation among with all other cooperative sectors. In addition, they conducted extensive
support in cooperation with local government. In this disaster, there were emerging a lot of
cooperative and community activities in various areas. We have really recognized and
reevaluated the importance of coordination of people, communities, regional cooperative
organizations and NPOs.
Now we are facing the challenge of how to reestablish the communities from scratch.
Before 3.11, Tohoku, located in north east of Japan was an outlying region in this country.
Because of aging population, Sanriku fishery and fishing industry had been getting to
decline. This earthquake hit fishing cooperatives members and fishermen, now the old
organizations are virtually on the verge of demolition. There are two major movements
regarding this reconstruction. One of the movements is to remove all the fishing rights that
have been practiced as the conventional resource management traditionally in the region.
And then a huge capital will take over and make global fish business industry base in the
area. It is a reconstructive movement that has the perspective of globalization aiming to
form renewed base. Another movement is to center around the local scene. Cooperative
organizations will be the core base of their community. It is a movement to develop a
traditional relationship and try to compromise with each other cooperatively. Based on
cooperation of subsistence fishery, formation of distribution channels more directly to
consumers and the various economic zones, community has mainly begun creating a
cooperative relationship. In order to prevail in the global market economy, whether we
should rush toward to make the base for fish processing industry and industrial complex, or
people of the area should autonomously manage and operate for the revival while keeping a
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local value and maintaining a cooperative philosophy….It has become a fierce argument but
the debate for the situation is still very fuzzy.
In line with "public" as public administration and "private" as business companies, domain
of "commune" or "cooperative of citizen/community" as social capital is also very important.
Social capital is not visible such as material or infrastructure. Core of the capital is, though
it is invisible, various relationships and a kind of network. It could be said it is the latent
potential power of region and community. It is important how much you have connections
and ties with diverse people. If you have it, it will exercise "resilience = readiness and
adaptivity" against the risk of disaster. Human relations have been diluted in rapidly
expanding commercial area restructuring and massive urban concentration for pursuit of
convenience. However in local areas, the system of mutual aid still remains. Main pillar of
green economy is not to expand conventional economy by using resources and energy
intensively like nuclear energy, but to base the system of decentralization like renewable
energy (including biomass). I believe that to continue to maintain an appropriate scale and
local community is the key. Green economy should be strongly related with a sustainable
"commune and cooperative" sector. (refer to [3 Socio-Economic Sectors])
--Lastly, let me hear about future prospects of the movement in the world and Japan's role.
Furusawa: The biggest concern I have now is that someone may cause war. For nations
where domestic problems and contradictions exist, the easy way for them to write off such a
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situation is to cause war and confrict to make enemies outside to find a way out. I feel most
afraid this situation. Even if not that serious, in the days ahead, there will be unrest in
countries for deepened conflicts over resource issues and so on. Now, the important way of
life is "diversity" which expands various routes and network of adaptation. In this sense, for
instance NGO which include diverse people shows you prospect of "Oh, I have this option in
life". I think it will be widened and more and more interesting to seek an alternative way of
living.
After 3.11, Japan has a chance to present to the world vision and scenario of recovery how
our society turns over a new leaf. Japan caught up on the western civilization which the
western society achieved over several centuries in a hundred years since the Meiji era. And
about half a century after world war, Japan has achieved industrial rapid development and
also run through post-industrial society. On the other hand of the bright side, Japan is now
facing a contradiction of the modern development system, such as nuclear power plants or
pollution problems. Japan has been running with holding inherent conflict of tremendous
light and shadow. We have an obligation to share with people around the world the serious
reality symbolized by "Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear bomb" "Minamata" and
"Fukushima", nuclear plant accident. Appearance of conflict and coexistence of tradition and
modernization is a common issue and problem faced by developing countries which is a
majority of the world. For better or worse, Japan has condensed many kinds of lessons that
world should consider now on. With a view the future civilization will further
dematerialization, I think Japan has a tremendous amount of potential of latent cultural
power, although national power in a sense of material civilization may be declined. Japan is
a typical "miniature" when we view the modern world as the coexisting place for diverse (the
intersection of culture and civilization). So we have to do self-disclosure to the world as a
social and cultural experiment in a positive and negative way. Like I said before, it's time to
find a value in those the most behind thing or the things used be disregarded. I feel
hopefully Japan is now in the very best position to appeal to the world that the meaning of
being the "A Miniature of the World " and show our potential of transformation.
*Japanese Interview, Written by/ Kazuhiko Mori (The Earth News, Sep.2/2011)
Pool coverage/ alterna S, Earth Summit 2012 Japan
http://theearthnews.jp/#!/contents/1165
Translation:
JWCS Volunteer staff: Ayumi Makajima
Comp. and edit by Koyu Furusawa