Towards a sustainable society: United Nations Universityʹs Zero Emissions Approach

The Zero Emissions approach comprises a research and action-based program, launched at the Tokyo-based headquarters of United Nations University (UNU) in 1994 and actively supported, among others. by the Japanese government as part of its security policy. Through the Zero Emissions lens, material cycles from intake to emissions should be managed as a holistic system. Thus, the primary focus is the intake of natural resources within renewable limits and final emissions within acceptable limits. This implies the optimisation through an integrated system of processes and consequently the mimicry of the hierarchy of natural ecosystems in the anthropogenic sphere. A network of industries through clustering builds integrated systems in which everything has its use. The Zero Emissions concept requires industries to re-engineer their manufacturing processes in order to fully utilise the resources within the systems—the set target of Zero Emissions. Other concepts such as cleaner production emphasise the minimisation of emissions and wastes through recycling, reuse and reduction, but mainly concentrate on the “end of pipe”. In the anticipated “Zero Emissions society”, consumers would preferentially purchase functions instead of material goods and thus, be actively involved in the creation of a new service economy where all materials are automatically sent back to the producers after they lose their function. Additionally, the design of goods should lead to eradication of the concept of waste. The UNU Zero Emissions Forum—through networking with academia, industry and governmental policy-makers—promotes international multidisciplinary research and development efforts to analyse trends in society and technology and pave paths for concrete pilot projects. Thus, the Forum has gathered concrete experience through a number of case studies all over the world.