Figure 1-2-47 Shifts in the Number of Specified Non-Profit Corporations that Carry Out Activities to Preserve the Environment

Source: Cabinet Office: Number of applications received and number of certifications granted based on the Law to Promote Specified Nonprofit Activities

Figure 1-2-48 Shifts in Ratios of Households Consumption Expenditures

Source: Created by the Ministry of the Environment, based on information from the Cabinet Office's "National Economic

indicates that in Japan many people do not feel a great deal of happiness (Figure 1-2-49).

Now let’s think about the meanings of these various elements and overall trends discussed here, particularly in regard to the current necessity of reducing the impacts on the environment.

First, the trend of increasing consumption of services and reduction of amount of input natural resources suggests that it may be possible to improve quality of life through development of service consumption without increasing the environmental impact caused by consumption of natural resources and energy.

## Conclusions

In Chapter 1 we have looked mainly at sustainability and quality of life in our daily lives, based on various data that is related to such things. We have to achieve a sustainable society and pass on to the next generation the quality of life that the current generation enjoys. We believe it is necessary for us to promote sustainable

Source: Information on Japan was taken from a survey on national characteristics and preferences, and information on the four European countries was taken from a European social survey.

Second, while the connections between people and society are weakening, the trend of rising volunteer activities to protect nature and the environment will serve as a foothold for improving the environment. The longer life-spans and increased leisure hours also suggest that this will become an increasingly important perspective in the future.

In addition, establishing a safe society in which people can live safely and securely is one of the most fundamental elements required to achieve a good and sustainable society. For example, environmental problems and natural disasters are closely related. Rising sea levels and meteorological disasters caused by climate change, and declines in the water-retaining functions of forests and flooding caused by excessive logging of forests are examples of environmental deterioration that further worsen the damage from natural disasters. On the other hand, a large-scale natural disaster not only breaks down the foundation of our lives and production, but also leads to environmental problems such as generation of huge volumes of waste.

For this reason, it is important to promote the prevention of natural disasters and preservation of a good environment in normal times, and when natural disasters do occur, it is important to take immediate actions to deal with environmental issues such as disaster waste to facilitate efforts for recovery.

In comparison to a perspective that emphasizes only the scale of economic activities and material living standards, reviewing the elements of quality of life in depth will open up the possibility for simultaneous improvement of both sustainability for the future and current quality of life. Further efforts aimed at evaluating and measuring sustainability and quality of life will be necessary, and it is important for each of us as individuals to think deeply about what true quality of life is.

use without exhausting all of the natural resources, and to keep a healthy environment without excessive environmental impacts on the Earth, because natural resources support our lives and the Earth is the foundation of our survival.

In order to achieve sustainability and good quality of