Azusa Uji

Decarbonization policies are being stymied by political conflict. Local communities might oppose decarbonization infrastructure such as solar farms, mines, or transmission lines if they view these projects as imposing high costs on them in relation to their benefits. To decarbonize, the automobile industry seeks to shift from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles, which require lithium-based rechargeable batteries. In the United States, to meet the increasing lithium demand through

Why do international organizations (IOs) adopt different arrangements for cooperation? Drawing on the theory of institutional context and the rational theory of international design, I argue that a prior thick institution between IOs, which involves the adjustment of organizational mandates and/or activities, facilitates a decentralized arrangement for their current cooperation by fostering mutual expectations and reducing uncertainty. If the prior institution merely assumes direct combinations

Journal Article Global Policymaking: The Patchwork of Global Governance Get access Vincent Pouliot Jean-Philippe Thérien, Cambridge University Press, 2023, ISBN: 9781009344951, 280 pages. Azusa Uji Azusa Uji Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan Email: uji.azusa.2z@kyoto-u.ac.jp Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, lcad009, https://doi.org/10.1093/irap/lcad009 Published: 07 July 2023 Article history Accepted: 27 June 2023

Abstract We examine public support in Japan for overseas climate adaptation assistance via foreign aid and accepting immigrants. Using a survey-embedded conjoint experiment ( N = 2815), we focus on seven attributes of an adaptation policy package: (a) the continent in which the country is located; (b) the types of extreme weather event this country faces; (c) the volume of climate aid; (d) the number of climate migrants (e) Japanese exports; (f) Japanese imports, (g) the country’s record of voti

The proliferation of country and state-level net zero-emission commitments, rising energy costs, and the quest for energy security in the wake of the Ukraine crisis have renewed the debate about the future of energy sources. As opposed to elite discourse, the energy policy preferences of the public remain less explored. While many public opinion surveys report preferences for a specific type of clean energy, there is less work on understanding choices among different types. We explore whether su

In Mercury Stories, Henrik Selin and Noelle Eckley Selin introduce and apply their original systems theory, a human–technical–environmental (HTE) framework coupled with an illustrative matrix approach, to an issue of sustainability: the mercury system. The underlying idea of the system perspective is that “a system is a connection of individual components that together produce results unobtainable by the components alone” (19). It is important to examine social, technological, and environmental

Climate mitigation policies face a political challenge because they tend to impose local costs to create a global public goods benefit. While climate adaptation tends to create local benefits while imposing local costs, the benefits tend to accrue in the long run while costs are incurred in the short run. Might this time inconsistency challenge get abated when individuals learn of different rationales for adaptation policies or have experienced natural disasters? To reduce electricity outages fr

Abstract East Asian countries have recently upgraded their regional cooperation for clean air through the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia, with elaborate arrangements for monitoring and capacity-building assistance for multiple pollutants. This represents a departure from the earlier informal regimes with vague arrangements on acid deposition. However, despite this notable shift, this formalization in the regional governance for clean air remains largely unexplored in the existin

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the national average gasoline price in the U.S. rose sharply. In response, President Biden wanted Congress to temporarily suspend the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gasoline tax. However, critics pointed out that gas tax suspension could: (1) undermine U.S. climate policy goals by encouraging the use of gasoline cars, (2) threaten U.S. national security by providing additional oil revenue to the Russian government for expanding its mil

Abstract The postmaterialism hypothesis suggests that wealthy countries are likely to be early adopters of pollution control regulations. Yet, Global South countries have taken the lead in regulating plastic bags. To explain this puzzle, we examine the influence of plastic waste imports on the onset of domestic plastic bag regulations. Processing imported waste creates visible local pollution in the Global South and mobilizes citizens and environmental groups. Because plastic bags are a visible

Waste-to-energy (WtE) projects use municipal waste to generate energy. While they increase local environmental and health risks, they also generate local environmental and economic benefits. If facility operator characteristics influence perceptions of risks and benefits, does public support for a WtE facility change if it is operated by a foreign firm? Using a survey experiment in Thailand (n = 829), we examine support for a hypothetical WtE plant operated by local Thai (reference category), Ja