Climate change law and policy in the Asia-Pacific 2021 in Tokyo

11, Sep, 2021

Title:The Growth of Renewable Energy-Climate Change Law in the Asia-Pacific

COVID-19 has caused serious damage to life and health, and after the spread and disruption of COVID-19 in 2020, some countries are successfully promoting vaccination. The crisis caused by COVID-19 has temporarily reduced air pollution and improved the environment through factory shutdowns and requests to refrain from going out, and some governments have already incorporated climate change adaptation measures into their policies to stimulate the economy to recover from COVID-19. In some countries, randomly selected citizens form a council as a miniature of society to discuss climate change adaptation measures and the feasibility of new renewable energy sources. Climate change is taking a long-term form, like the rise of sea levels and the melting of glaciers. Climate change measures, which require a long-term perspective, may lack a sense of urgency compared to COVID-19 measurements.

This symposium will examine the government structure for advancing climate change adaptation measures, including the availability of renewable energy. Science should be developed step by step through examination. Scientific findings should not be influenced by the political arbitrary intentions of the government from time to time.

The political branches may deal with inaccurate statistical data and formulate policies, ignoring clear indisputable evidence. The principle that the political branches respect the expertise and independence of research is one of the principles that support research in modern society. If the political sector breaks this principle, it will endanger people's health, the environment, and society.

What is needed to eliminate undue political influence of the government on administrative agencies and to maintain neutrality and expertise in policy making in the long run? If the legislature cannot make policy, should a committee randomly selected from citizens make

policy? Can the judiciary blame the political branches for their negligence when legislative decision-making is delayed? How do we evaluate the potential of renewable energy from politics and science?

Trial and error in one region may provide good lessons for other regions. We will examine renewable energy approaches to climate change with legal experts from around the world.