The Future Climate Regime: A Regional Comparison of Proposals

This paper compares and clarifies differences revealed in proposals from different regions on a future multilateral climate regime, after the year 2012. More than 100 articles in English were collected, categorized according to the lead authors region, and then reviewed to identify the general tendencies of each region. Proposals on emission allocation rules were the most popular in Europe, while rules related to international emissions trading dominated proposals from the United States. Few articles came from other Annex I countries, but these generally provided only the most basic aspects of a future regime. Meanwhile, concerns for equity and the relevance of any new regime in terms of sustainable development were clear in proposals from non-Annex I countries. Differences among regions were considered to be a reflection of current circumstances in each authors region. The capacity and culture of authors in some regions were considered to be other possible factors in differences. The paper concludes that recognition of regional background that formulate respective preferences and concerns regarding a future climate regime will be important to help reach a multilateral agreement in future official negotiations.     

The transference of patterns printed or indented on a sheet of paper to a plastic surface

Experiments have been made in which the image of Xerox-letters printed on a sheet of paper is transferred to a sheet of plastic and developed by dusting. The sheet of paper is sandwiched between two sheets of plastic, which are pressed between two flat metal plates by a mechanical press. After removing the pressure, the sheet of plastic facing the letter-printed surface of the sheet of paper is separated or torn from the paper using electrically insulated forceps. Then by sifting fine alumina powder onto the plastic surface, a dust figure can be obtained. This figure shows the transcribed letters corresponding to the original Xerox-letter on the sheet of paper.By this method, indented letters, or letters drawn with ink on a sheet of paper, or a fingerprint impressed on a sheet of paper can be transcribed onto the surface of a sheet of plastic.     

Trace Elemental Analysis of Titanium Dioxide Pigments and Automotive White Paint Fragments for Forensic Examination Using High‐Energy Synchrotron Radiation X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry*

Abstract: High‐energy synchrotron radiation x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (SR‐XRF) utilizing 116 keV x‐rays was used to characterize titanium dioxide pigments (rutile) and automotive white paint fragments for forensic examination. The technique allowed analysis of K lines of 9 trace elements in 18 titanium dioxide pigments (rutile), and 10 trace elements in finish coat layers of seven automotive white paint fragments. High‐field strength elements (HFSE) were found to strongly reflect the origin of the titanium dioxide (TiO₂) pigments, and could be used as effective parameters for discrimination and classification of the pigments and paint fragments. A pairwise comparison of the finish coat layers of seven automotive white paint fragments was performed. The trace elements in the finish coat layers detected by the high‐energy SR‐XRF were especially effective for identification. By introducing the trace element information of primer and electrocoat layers, all the automotive white paint fragments could be discriminated by this technique.     

Climate Change and Japan

Our propensity to emit damaging gases has created a dangerously hot earth and it is imperative that we reduce our emission of carbon dioxide. In this article, Yasuko Kameyama, senior researcher at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, examines the international negotiations that have taken place on global warming from 1990 to 2001, focussing on the events leading up to the 1997 Kyoto Conference. In 2001, the US created a furor when it chose to opt-out of the Kyoto Protocol. Despite this set back, Kameyama suggests that this may present Japan with the opportunity to break free from its past mediator role between the US and the EU, and take the lead on environmental matters.     

Lower limits of detection of synchrotron radiation high-energy X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and its possibility for the forensic application for discrimination of glass fragments

Synchrotron radiation high-energy X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) analysis utilizing 75.5keV X-ray radiation from beam-line BL37XU at Super Photon Ring 8GeV (SPring-8), a third-generation synchrotron facility, was found to have advantages for forensic discrimination of glass samples. The lower limits of detection (LLD) for calibration curves were at the picogram level for Ba, Ce, and Sm and at the 10pg level for Sr, Zr, Sn, and Hf. The spectrum of NIST SRM 612 glass reference material demonstrated K-line peaks of 31 elements including rare-earth elements, and the relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) of all the measured elements except Ca were less than 9.7%. Fragments of collected sheet glass were used as samples for investigating the application of this technique to forensic analysis. Several trace elements such as Pb, Rb, Sr, Zr, La, Ce, and Hf were detected in the spectra of the samples, and these elements could be used as indexes to characterize the glass samples. But the "lower limits of detection (LLD)" of each element were not examined enough. In this report, these limits by synchrotron radiation X-ray spectrometry were clarified. By these results, this technique should provide an effective approach to the nondestructive discrimination of small glass fragments in the field of forensic science.     

Allocation and architecture in climate governance beyond Kyoto: lessons from interdisciplinary research on target setting

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change envisions that all countries will follow the principle of ‘common but differentiated responsibility’ in terms of their responsibility to protect the earth’s climate system. However, its concrete application has always been controversial. The Kyoto Protocol framed this allocation issue in terms of quantified emission reduction and limitation objectives (QERLOs) in its Annex B, but this also triggered the refusal of the United States to ratify the Protocol. This article identifies some of the problems associated with allocation, and its problems inter-linked with governance architecture, by examining the case of the allocation of reduction commitments for greenhouse gas emissions in the context of climate governance beyond 2012. Three broad criteria are used in the discussion, namely, responsibility, capability, and efficiency. Target numbers for individual countries differ with the criteria used, but they also differ even within the same criteria category, due to different ways these conceptual criteria are translated into quantitative calculation formulas. Sometimes this makes a large difference for individual targets. Our calculations using different criteria and formula to come up with medium-term targets for selected developed countries show that differences in results are caused by the choice of allocation principle, differences in allocation formula under a given allocation principle, and different calculation criteria used under a given allocation formula. Assumptions in modeling and the choice of data also affect results. Importantly, interests are often embedded explicitly or implicitly behind these different ideas. Although allocation and architecture seems to be different problems of governance at first glance, there is also a link between limited data availability for allocation calculations and the form of governance architecture proposed. This is an area where further scientific research is required.