Norms on the Environment: Creation and Compliance
Instructors
Credits / Language / Semester
2Credits / English / Winter
Objectives/Overview
Japan has been carrying out various activities to protect the environment. This course will look into different actions to protect the environment and discuss on norms on the environment from the viewpoints of their creation and compliance. After lectures and discussions, each student will make a presentation on a topic that they choose.
Many kinds of efforts are needed to cope with the environmental problems. For example, creation of a law is an important step, but it would not have an effect without activities to ensure the compliance. This course aims at allowing students to think about means for protecting the environment from diverse viewpoints, discussing their ideas with other students.
Keywords
Environment, Pollution, Policy, Regulation, Government, Administration, Monitoring, Water, Atmosphere, Energy, Efficiency, Consumption, Norm, Compliance, Global Warming, Climate Change,
Schedule
1. Introduction
2. Water Pollution Control in Japan1: History and Regulation of Effluents
3. Water Pollution Control in Japan2: Household Wastewater, Monitoring and Non-Point Sources
4. Water Pollution Control in Japan3: Discussion on Categorization and Evaluation of Different Measures
5. Protecting Environmental Quality of Atmosphere in Japan1: History and Facts
6. Protecting environmental Quality of Atmosphere in Japan2: Special Topics
7. Protecting Environmental Quality of Atmosphere in Japan3: Discussion on Comparison with Water Pollution Control
8. Protecting the Earth from Global Warming1: History and Facts in Japan
9. Protecting the Earth from Global Warming2: Energy Consumption in Japan
10. Protecting the Earth from Global Warming3: Discussion on Comparison with Water Pollution Control
11. Norms on Consumption in Japan: Measures to Ensure Product Safety
12. Activities Related to Global Warming in Other Countries: The IEA Energy Policy Reviews
13. Presentations by Students
14. Wrap-up
Teaching Methods
About two-third of the classes will be lectures with Q&A, and others will be discussions and presentations by the students.
Grading
Grading will be based upon the class participation and a final report.
Required Text
Japan’s Environmental Policy
http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/special/policy-update/039.html
Water and Soil Environmental Management in Japan
http://www.env.go.jp/en/water/wq/pamph/pdf/full.pdf
The Energy Situation in Japan
http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/topics/energy-in-japan/english2010.pdf
Energy Policies of the IEA Countries
Reference Books
Annual Report on the Environment, the Sound Material-Cycle Society and the Biodiversity in Japan
http://www.env.go.jp/en/wpaper/
Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia
http://www.eanet.cc/index.html
A Properly Functioning Consumer Market as the Backbone of the Japanese Economy
http://www.rieti.go.jp/en/columns/a01_0347.html
Notes on Taking the Course
Active participation in the class is required, but fluency in English is not required.