How can we be assured that the Beyond “Zero-Carbon ” technology genuinely benefits the regional community? For example, solar and wind power generation systems have become the leading renewable energy technologies, yet suitable locations must be selected for long-term management and landscape considerations. The high cost of biomass utilization has been pointed out. Still, it has also been shown that it can revitalize the local agriculture and forestry industries. Given that the regional wealth is diverse, we need to think with foresight about environmental, social, and economic aspects before implementing it.

Life cycle thinking is essential at this point. The life cycle is the series of processes from the extraction of resources, production of raw materials for products and services, and production, to transportation, use, and recycling or final disposal of products. Before implementing technologies and mechanisms, it is crucial to manage what happens in this life cycle preemptively. Life cycle assessment (LCA) quantitatively assesses the environmental impacts of a life cycle. It has, in recent years, become possible to visualize those environmental impacts not only in the “present” and “past” but also in the “future.” Material Flow Analysis (MFA) and Input-Output Analysis (IOA) are also analytical methods used in studying a recycling-oriented society to identify how and where materials flow and accumulate in a system, and to clarify the economic effects on industrial activities.

R&D Theme 1 will develop a preemptive life cycle management (LCM) methodology by utilizing analysis and evaluation methods – such as LCA, MFA, and IOA – to enable the introduction and operation of the most appropriate technologies and mechanisms for the region. Specifically, we will identify elements in LCM that contribute to creating a sustainable region in three stages: life cycle designs, assessments, and operations.