ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

第17回優秀賞our environment. Environmental problems such as erosion of land, acid rain, and thedepletion of the ozone layer have been becoming more serious every year. The greenhouse effect caused mainly by the emission of CO2 has been changing the climate ona large scale and seriously influencing our ecosphere. In addition, if we continue toconsume fossil fuel at present pace, we will run out of the resources by the end of thiscentury. Developing an alternative clean energy is essential.We cannot leave the solution of the environmental problems only to nationalgovernment. Developed countries are reluctant to prioritize preserving environmentsince doing so might hamper economic development. The United States, for example,puts economic expansion in the center of its foreign policy and is unwilling to agreewith drastic cut in CO2 emission. Developing countries, on the other hand, criticizethe First World for their overconsumption and claim it is unfair to reduce the CO2emission on their side because they also would like to enjoy the luxury the FirstWorld has enjoyed. Since there is disagreement between the First and the ThirdWorld, there should be some“mediator”. The UN could take this role.Again, the UN alone cannot solve environmental problems. Cooperation amongstates and between government and private institutes is important. Even if theUN proposes to preserve the environment, it is national governments that makeregulations and it is private firms that actually improve technology to meet thegovernmental standards. Private industries seldom take initiative on their own indeveloping the products that are environment-friendly unless those products arecost-effective, which is rare. In the auto industry, for example, many firms have beenspending a great deal on R&D to develop cars that emit less CO2. They are doingso because their government has passed a legislature that regulates emission of CO2or it is likely to pass such a legislature in the near future. They know if they cannot55