Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 2
Background on Energy and Resources Strategy
Yasumitsu Tanaka
Abstract
This chapter sets the scene for the series of lectures on energy and
resources provided as part of the environmental leader course. Many of the indi-
vidual lectures (chapters in this topic) focus on specific resource or energy issues
or technical challenges but these have also to be seen as part of an overall picture,
where human activities have reached a scale which can no longer be supported in
a sustainable way. This chapter provides some of the background to placing these
individual fields in this wider perspective by looking at some of the history of
environmental problems in Japan, as well as some key current international issues
including global warming and climate change, social issues including poverty,
threats to biodiversity and sustainability's limits and balances.
Keywords
Environmental pollution
·
Energy
·
Resource
·
Limits
·
Sustainability
·
Japan
2.1
The Environmental Leader Programs
As described in Chap. 1, the thinking behind Japan's Environmental Leader pro-
grams is that even though many agree that we need to move rapidly to a more
sustainable society, the current pace of change is failing to reverse adverse trends in
energy and resources consumption, population growth, climate change, ecosystem
loss, species extinctions and other key indicators of
un
sustainable development.
This situation has led to initiatives in Japan to nurture a new generation of environ-
mental leaders who can influence individual, business and governmental priorities
and help promote the development of a more sustainable society. These programs
face the challenges of providing participants with the knowledge, motivation and
skills necessary to influence and lead others towards a more sustainable future.
The Environmental Leadership Training Program (ELTP) within the Strategic
Energy and Resource Management and Sustainable Solutions (SERMSS
2014
)
