Parallel Session 2 (PS-2)

Carbon Circular Economy base created withnatural resources nurtured by the connection
between the sea, mountains, and villages.
SHOJI Naoki, Miyagi University

Social context: Economic policies in rural
areas are important for decarbonization
April 2021
Pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 46% by 2030
(compared to 2013 levels)
October 22, 2021 Cabinet Decision

Major Decarbonization Policies

1 Shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy
2 Energy conservation and reduction of greenhouse gases
3 Emissions trading through carbon sequestration and storage (negative emissions)Characteristics of Renewable Energy Siting
Relatively small scale and distributed in large numbers in all parts ofJapan→ Close relationship with local communities and residents

Thermal Power Station (282) Solar Power Station (14,243) Wind Power Station (420)(Electrical Japan)

Issues of renewable energy for decarbonization● Impact on ecosystems, degrading natural landscapes∙ No return of revenues to local communities by operators→ No benefits of decarbonization for local communities

There are concerns about the impact on ecosystems such as birds
and the landscape of agricultural and mountainous villages, andthere is a trade-off between the environmental burden that affects
local communities, residents' lives, and ecosystems.

出典︓2021年3⽉1⽇ 資源エネルギー庁 総合エネルギー調査会
省エネルギー・新エネルギー分科会／電⼒・ガス事業分科会 再⽣
可能エネルギー⼤量導⼊・次世代電⼒ネットワーク⼩委員会(第25回)資料「今後の再⽣可能エネルギー政策について」Separation of economy and environment(Decoupling) as a direction of decarbonization
Decoupling

While promoting economic growth Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
NowBetter

The Best● Economy●EnvironmentalDegradation
In decoupling policies, it is important that decarbonization
creates a virtuous cycle in the economy

Negative emissions with natural resource
Negative emissions

Circular Economy<Industrial Negative Emissions>＜The Concept of Circular Economy><Negative emissions by making use oflocal natural resources> CO2<Circular Economy utilizing local naturalresources>● Recycling and upgrading of wasteresources● BECCS, DACCS
Collect and remove greenhouse gases that haveaccumulated in the atmosphere● Blue carbon

Restoration of seaweed beds, promotion of ocean
fertility and growth (aquaculture, etc.)● Material fixation of carbon resources
CaCO3(shells, etc.)● Decarbonization in soil
Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions fromagricultural land

● Curbing the generation of waste● Create added value through services and othermeans while making effective use of resources.

Fermented seasonings, functional foods
Biofuels, plastic substitutes● Biogas power generation

Domestic waste, forest residues, unutilized marine
resources
CH4

Great East Japan Earthquake (March 11, 2011)“Minamisanriku town”
Population 17,429 people (2010)
Deceased 620 people
Person who does not know the right path 211 people
Population 12,370 people (2015)àPopulation reduction rate 29.0%

Post-Earthquake Reconstruction in Minamisanriku Town
“Forest, Village, Sea, People, Life, Minamisanriku”「森⾥海ひと いのちめぐるまち 南三陸」

“Minamisanriku Biomass Industrial City Plan”「南三陸町バイオマス産業都市構想」

Our mission : Blue Carbon in Minamisanriku town
Minamisanriku town is surrounded by watersheds,with mountains, villages, and the sea connected byrivers and the rias coast of Shizugawa Bay.
Shizugawa Bay was registered as the first Ramsar
Convention wetland in Japan on October 18, 2008.
It is one of the world's three largest fisheries, with richfishery resources due to the mixture of the Kuroshio
Current, the Oyashio Current, and the cold and warm
currents such as the Tsugaru Warm Current.
In recent years, the rising seawater temperature has
caused seaweed damage caused by sea urchin
breeding, resulting in "isoyake" or the loss of seaweed,
which is a problem.

Our mission : Blue Carbon in Minamisanriku town
When "isobake" is resolved and the seaweed beds regenerate, they will becomea blue carbon resource, a carbon sequestration and storage (negative emission).
Blue carbon offsets represent an opportunity not only for environmental
conservation, but also for the creation of new local resources that can be
traded for credits.

"isobake" with Sea Urchins

The seaweed beds without Sea Urchins

Our Projects : Clover sea urchin that brings happinessSea urchins, the cause of "isoyake", are thinned out and stocking them on land.
The land plant clover is fed as feed to produce high quality sea urchins.

Negative emissions
Value・Restoration of seaweed beds
・Export of high quality sea urchins
・Recovery of fishery resources
add

Circular EconomyCircular Economy in Carbon Neutral
Economy【NARIWAI】
Aquaculture
Smart Agriculture
Biomass Utilization【Human ResourceDevelopment】
Start-up
Successor
Increase in thenumber of young
peopleResources (funds, people, technology)

Recycling ofmarine shells

Visualization of energy
and material flows【 Negative emission 】
Blue Carbon
J-Credits

Storage of sea
urchins on land

【Nigiwai】
Sightseeing
Migration
Interaction Population
Related Population

Environment

Restoration ofseaweed beds

Reduction ofgreenhouse gas
emissions
Recycling

Functional
food

Biogas power
generation

Unusedresources

Expansion ofaquacultureOutcomes (sustainable region, carbon neutral)【Biogas powergeneration】【 RenewableEnergy 】
Efficient energyuse【Natural Environment】
Observation and protectionOur Goal in 2050
“Attractive community where natural environment andeconomy coexist”「⾃然環境と経済が共存する魅⼒的な地域社会」“Construction of a new industrial base for the nextgeneration”「次世代につなぐ新たな産業基盤の構築」“Strengthen resilience through local production for local
consumption of energy”「エネルギーの地産地消によるレジリエンス強化」

Desired image of the region
Revitalizing
Communities byUtilizing Fallow
Rice Fields
We want toincrease energyproduction
through thecirculation ofmarine resources.
We want tofoster tourism
and learning atsea.
We want toachieve Blue
Carbon.

We want a town
where young
people can live.
We want to makethe most of ourfishery resources.
We want to build
new technologies
to adapt to global
warming.
We want tovisualize
decarbonization
and resource
recycling.
14