Seite - 22 - in options, Band winter 2021

Biodiversity loss has long been one of the most devastating consequences from land-use change due to human activities like urban and agricultural expansion, industry, and deforestation, and it has only been exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Remarkably, the Republic of Korea is a country that has managed to achieve rapid economic development while maintaining its biodiversity since initial reforestation efforts began after the Korean War. Although urban hubs like Seoul and Busan played a part in forest decline, overall, the quality of these forests has improved due to excellent continuous forest management. IIASA researcher Florian Kraxner contributed to research analyzing the biodiversity persistence of plants in the Republic of Korea since the 1960s. National data sets were used to create spatial scenarios of past versus present land use and habitat quality. Additionally, researchers constructed future scenarios evaluating biodiversity persistence and the net effects of forest management on biodiversity. The resulting scenarios displayed positive biodiversity persistence over the years, with the Korean government managing to offset the negative effects of urbanization through reforestation and habitat management efforts. The study also showed that the most serious consequences of climate change could be mitigated but that change is needed, as current management practices are not enough. Further research with more diverse future land-cover and land-use scenarios that would allow Korea to better prepare for a worst-case scenario was also recommended. Like much of the world, Japan has put in place a strategy to reduce its carbon footprint in the coming decades. Specifically, Japan has vowed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% before 2050. Its success will depend largely on the concept of energy demand reduction, with particular focus on reductions around energy services such as behavioral changes and material use efficiency improvements. However, the potential results of these changes have not been sufficiently evaluated. A study by IIASA researcher Shinichiro Fujimori and his colleagues used a detailed, bottom-up energy system model, combined with an energy service demand model, to explore potential energy system changes and their respective cost implications. Their results show that Japan’s energy demand in 2050 can be cut by as much as 37% using these measures. The country’s current plan relies heavily on technology, such as carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions. The findings of the study emphasize the importance of implementing energy service demand reduction measures along with technological solutions. “To develop a carbon neutral energy system, energy supply sources need to completely change,” explains Fujimori. “Energy demand reduction can facilitate this major system change. In fact, energy demand reduction offers numerous benefits to the prospect of climate change mitigation in Japan. Additionally, lowering energy demand would have a much greater impact if some key technologies, such as CCS are unavailable.” Using energy demand reduction for decarbonization in Japan AS I A An analysis of forest management in the Republic of Korea Regional impacts Shinichiro Fujimori: fujimori@iiasa.ac.at Florian Kraxner: kraxner@iiasa.ac.at Further info: pure.iiasa.ac.at/17166 Further info: pure.iiasa.ac.at/17160 No nuclear (NoNUC)FullTech NoCCS+ NoNUC No carbon capture and storage (NoCCS) By Jeremy Summers By Neema Tavakolian Figure: Comparison of power generation between the DefDem and LoDem MCS scenarios. 22 Options www.iiasa.ac.atWinter 2021