Integrated Management of Water Environment in Japan

Transcription

1 Integrated Management of Water Environment in Japan Experiences, Lessons, and Challenges Mitsuo Yoshida, Ph.D. Senior Advisor Global Environment Department Institute for International Cooperation, JICA, Tokyo December 2006 (Tunis) Outline of the Presentation Historical Perspective on Water Environment Management in Japan Lessons Learnt Challenges - Integrated Water Resource Management

2 The Beginning The problem of water pollution in Japan began almost one hundred years ago; the first recorded major water pollution incident affecting human life occurred during late 19th century to early 20th century. This incident was caused by continuous untreated discharge of mining/smelting waste waters from the Ashio Copper Mine into the Watarase River and resulted in poisoning to agricultural products and local people. From this time on, a gradual increase in pollution loads has accompanied the growth of industry, and significant water pollution problems emerged in various areas of Japan. Ashio Incident Smoke Hazard (deforestation) Pollutants: Cu, Pb, Zn, Ba Protest by Farmers against the Ashio Copper Mine Water/Soil Pollution and copper poisoning of Agricultural land from Shoji and Sugai, in Ui (ed.1992):industrial pollution on Japan. UNU Press, Tokyo

3 Industrialization and Water Pollution During the period of reconstruction following the World War II, the water pollution problems emerged again, such as the industrial organic mercuryinduced Minamata disease, firstly recognized in In 1958, two water quality laws called Water Quality Control Law and Industrial Effluent Control Law to start controlling the water pollutions regulatively. However these two laws were insufficient to respond to increased needs of environmental protection because of their limited areas and less stringent control. Mercury Pollution in Minamata Factory Remediation and Countermeasures Minamata Bay Yatsushiro Sea Local People Minamata Disease Source: Ministry of Environment, Japan

4 Historical Perspective Itai-Itai disease Distribution of Cd Pollution Highly polluted Moderately polluted Weakly polluted Transition zone Non polluted Disease rate (aged women) 20%< 10-20% 5-9% 5%> Bone involvement Kidney atrophia Cd contaminated water from a zinc mine Data adopted from Kanazawa Medical University Effective Law Enforcement Rapid economic growth during the 1960 s caused a spread and intensification of water pollution problems. Mercury contamination in the Agano River produced a second case of Minamata disease, and cadmium contamination in the Jinzu River resulted in a terribly painful disease Itai-itai disease. In response to these incidents, so-called Kogai Diet (1970) legislated essential improvements to the whole environmental pollution control system. Subsequently, the previous two laws were unified into a strengthened one law, the Water Pollution Control Law. The Environmental Agency was established in Behind these improvements, various struggles were held in local and nation levels.

5 Improvement of Water Quality in Japan Change of the non-conformity rate on selected water contaminants with the EQS in Japan Significant reductions in the discharge of heavy metals and other pollutants influencing human health have been achieved by strengthening regulations and operating remedial measures. Ministry of Environment Historical Perspective Waterborne Disease in Japan 2000 Number of cases Cholera Paratyphoid Infection Diarrhea Schistosome Year Ministry of Health and Welfare data in Takemoto(1998)

6 Progress in Regulatory Approach Late 19 th to early 20 th centuries Poor control Economic reconstruction after the World War II Insufficient law and regulation Renovation in 1970s Installation of law enforcement system Regulation-and-Command to point source polluters Improvement of water quality However still there were remaining problems. Total Allowable Contaminant Loads Since 1970s, water pollution incidents increasingly occurred in closed water bodies. Seto Inland Sea Ise Bay Tokyo Bay There are actually many sources of pollution in various areas of one basin. In order to preserve and restore the quality of water, it is important to take a comprehensive view of whole basin from the riverhead to the estuarine and coastal are, and reduce pollutants at their respective sources. In response, a legal system for limiting Total Allowable Contaminant Loads (TACL; Soryo Kisei) were established in order to protect water quality of closed water bodies.

7 Participation and Coordination However, it was impossible to continue promoting water environmental protection only through the power of the administration (regulation-command-andcontrol approach), assuming the input of tax money. Coordination among stakeholders Participation and autonomous activity Integrated Water Resource and Environment Management Water Environment Protection in Integrated Water Resource Management Three types of integration as follows: To consider in an integrated manner every form and stage of water cycle in nature (water resources and land resources, water volume and water quality, surface water and ground water, etc.). To consider the various sectors related to water that have been conventionally managed separately (rivers and flood control, water and sewage systems, agricultural water, industrial water, water for maintaining the ecosystem, and so on). To aim for a participatory approach involving concerned parties of all levels such as the central government, local governments, private sectors, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and residents.

8 Challenges The functioning of environmental NPO (Non-Profit Organization) will play an important role in the Integrated Water Resource Management. In recent years, such NPOs have organized river/watershed committee (Ryuiki Committee) and coordinated the water resource utilization and environmental protection, which is a challenge in water protection in 21st century in Japan. These tasks of committee cannot be carried out without cooperation among citizens, industrial sector, and the administration.

9 Wad Malyan E10 00 N36 45 N Tunis Treated Municipal Wastewater Treated Industrial and Municipal Wastewater Ben Arous 5-16g Nasan E10 15 Rades 5-10j 5-17l 5-17m 5-10l 5-10k Ezzahra Sea Mhamediyya Mornag 5-16e 5-16f Al Khlidiyya 5-24b Borj Bou Rbi a 5-23e 5-23c 5-23d Jbal al Wost N36 30 LEGEND Sminja Wad Malyan river Sampling site Mogrin Wastewater effluent Pb 3D Surface Plot (Pb contamination CARTE5) Distance Weighted Least Squares above

10 3D Surface Plot (Cd contamination CARTE5) Distance Weighted Least Squares Cd above 3D Surface Plot (Cu contamination CARTE5) Distance Weighted Least Squares Cu above

11 3D Surface Plot (Hg contamination CARTE5) Distance Weighted Least Squares Hg above B concentration (mg/kg) B Upstream Downstream P concentration (%) P 0.00 Concentration (%) S 0.0 Treated Industrial Wastewater Treated Municipal Wastewater Agricultural Populated Industrial

12 80 Upstream Downstream Concentration (mg/kg) Cr Ni Cu Concentration (ug/kg) Ag Au Hg Concentration (mg/kg) Zn Ba 0 Treated Industrial Wastewater Treated Municipal Wastewater Agricultural Populated Industrial 2.00 Upstream Downstream Concentration (mg/kg) Mo Cd Sb Tl Concentration (mg/kg) As Se Concentration (mg/kg) Pb 0 Treated Industrial Wastewater Treated Municipal Wastewater Agricultural Populated Industrial

13 Illegally disposed solid wastes and/or agricultural chemicals Hg, As, Pb Inflow of treated industrial wastewater Cu, Cr, Ni, Zn, Ag, Au, Hg Wad Malyan river Agricultural zone Urban zone Industrial zone Per Capita GDP and Environmental Problems Environmental Economics Population without safe water Urban Population without adequate sanitation Urban concentrations of particulate matters Urban concentration of sulfur dioxides Municipal wastes per capita Carbon dioxide emission per capita

14 Increased GDP and Emissions in OECD Countries Red:GDP Green:Nitrogen oxides Yellow:Sulfur oxides Blue:Particulate matters Orange:Lead Increased GDP has contributed to decrease the emissions. Three suggestions from previous experiences Environmental problem was inescapably related to the economic development. Regulation and law enforcement is indispensable for environmental protection. Environmental protection was not successful without proper economic development. Phased development could be observed in environmental protection.

15 Kuznets curve A phased model on GDP and Pollutants Emission Energy use is increased, according to the increased GDP. Total volume of pollutants emission is increased. Incentives to protect the environment is installed. Cleaner and more effective production technologies are adopted in response. Peak phase of emission is attained. Total volume of pollutants tends to decrease. Corresponding GDP for the Peak of Emission Industrialized countries Denmark Spain Finland France Italy Japan Hungary Netherland Sweden Canada Switzerland Norway Belgium USA UK New Zealand GDP (US$) / capita

16 Incentives to protect the environment tools and works Law enforcement and compliance Environmental administration Economic incentives Science and technology Public awareness on environment