Module 5: Case Studies

  1. My first post is from the WBCSD – business solutions for a sustainable world (http://www.wbcsd.org/Pages/EDocument/EDocumentDetails.aspx?ID=15688&NoSearchContextKey=true).  The study I chose is about solutions landscape for Kobe, Japan.  Kobe is the fifth-largest city in Japan and it faces economic, environmental and social challenges.  However, it is trying to achieve a sustainable community development and to preserve their natural environment.  This case ties in with this module with the idea of sustainable development.  From my understanding, Kobe is trying to become more eco-friendly by reducing emissions, promoting improvements in energy efficiency, expanding the use of renewable energy, and local energy management systems.  This ties into the fact that sustainable development is defined that is is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.  Kobe’s objective is to help the currently aging population, and hopefully a better place for future generations.
  2. My second post is from SATREPS – for the earth, for the next generation (http://www.jst.go.jp/global/english/case/environment_energy_5.html).  The study I chose is about developing scenarios for low-carbon societies.  This study is using Malaysia as a model.  Malaysia is currently undergoing rapid economic development.  They are trying to come up with a plan to help achieve both a low-carbon society and economic development country, while managing the rising climate change issues.  I believe this also ties into the concept of sustainable development because this study is trying to make a better place for future generations.  Trying to create a low-carbon society would mean that they are likely to attempt reduce emissions.  This then in turn leads to more use for renewable energy.
  3. The two cases above is similar to what the US is trying to accomplish now.  We are trying to find ways to make renewable energy better or more useful.  They are also similar because we are all trying to manage the effects of climate change.  By trying to find ways to reduce emissions the two cases and the US are trying to develop plans to help better the lives of future generations.  Some differences is that even though we are targeting the same issue, we are also at the same time not.  For instance, in Kobe, their focus is also at the current generation and in Malaysia they want to help reduce the greenhouse gas emission and avoid the risk of various natural disasters.  I believe it is important to examine place and time because by studying how the effects are affecting us now and in the past we can start predicting how elements will effect the future and we can think of ways to mediate it.

One thought on “Module 5: Case Studies

  1. Hi,

    My name is Humna, and I wrote about the case studies in Brazil, where there is a large amount of deforestation similar to Pennsylvania, and Pakistan, where there is a lack of clean water unlike Pennsylvania. https://wp.me/p3RCAy-bCA

    I found your post to be very motivational and impressive that the move to become eco-friendly is growing. It was interesting that you mentioned that it is for “personal” reasons. I went to a World in Conversation recently where we talked about who (current versus next generation), when (now or in a few years when we’ve adapted in terms of technology), and where (developed or developing countries) the initiative will begin.

Leave a Reply