Page - 24 - in options, Volume summer 2017

asia 24 regional focus www.iiasa.ac.atoptions ◼ summer 2017 Most nations agree that reducing CO2 emissions worldwide is the best way to address climate change. Solutions for addressing this fact, however, are not so simple. Indonesia, a country that relies heavily on its agriculture and forestry industries, has been a leader in self-directed emissions reductions. It has served as an example of how even countries that depend heavily on Cities undergoing rapid economic growth often face the challenge of balancing continued growth with their environmental impact. In traditional growth models, the more a city has grown, the greater its environmental impact has been, particularly in carbon emissions. But in today’s world, that no longer has to be the case. The municipality of Chongqing in China has seen rapid economic growth in the past two decades. Yet Chongqing has not done so at the expense of the environment. In fact, the municipality has even managed to reduce emissions of some pollutants during this rapid growth. In a study published in the journal Ecological Indicators, IIASA researcher Bing Zhu showed that between 1999 and 2010, the decoupling of Chongqing’s economic growth from its environmental pressure was absolute for emissions of sulphur dioxide, soot, and waste water, while total energy consumption remained the same, as did CO2 emissions and solid waste. Chongqing’s emissions rate is now below average emissions for all municipalities across China and has had significant impact on economic development. Chongqing even improved its emissions output in the last half of that period, demonstrating that responsible economic growth for global sustainable development is possible. “Our findings show that you don’t have to contribute more to carbon-based emissions in order to undergo economic growth on a city level,” explains Zhu, coauthor of the new study. “We believe that these findings provide a model for policymakers to use to separate the idea of rapid growth from adverse environmental impact.” JS Reducing CO2 emissions in Indonesia these industries change their way of thinking and reduce their carbon footprint. In 2009, Indonesia pledged a 26% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020 and a further 29% by 2030. To achieve its goal, Indonesia implemented policies protecting existing forests as well as establishing enough plants to create new forests and plantations. In a study published in the journal Sustainability, IIASA researcher Tomoko Further info Yu Y, Zhou L, Zhou W, Ren H, Kharrazi A, Ma T, & Zhu B (2017). Decoupling environmental pressure from economic growth on city level: The Case Study of Chongqing in China. Ecological Indicators 75: 27-35. [pure.iiasa.ac.at/14202]. Bing Zhu zhu@iiasa.ac.at Hasegawa showed that Indonesia’s plan has been effective. The study showed that Indonesia achieved a 58% total reduction in emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land-use sectors. Although rising carbon prices may prevent Indonesia from fully realizing the 2020 goal, the country is still on track to meet its goal for 2030. “It is imperative that countries around the globe act on reducing their carbon emission outputs. The future of our planet depends on it,” explains Hasegawa, author of the new study. “Indonesia is an excellent example of how measured action, particularly in non-energy sectors such as forestry and agriculture, can achieve the desired results.” JS Further info Hasegawa T, Fujimori S, Boer R, Immanuel G, & Masui T (2016). Land-Based Mitigation Strategies under the Mid-Term Carbon Reduction Targets in Indonesia. Sustainability 8 (12): e1283. [pure.iiasa.ac.at/14115] Tomoko Hasegawa hasegawa@iiasa.ac.at Separating economic growth from environmental impact