SUSHI-FIKA (Sustainable Heating for Industries by Fostering Industrial Knowledge with Academia)
The project mainly deals with the de-carbonisation of industrial heating using relevant technologies that could fit in both Swedish and Japanese contexts. Industries consume a lot of energy mainly in form of heating and electricity. The major share in industries however is due to the use of heating to run various processes. On a global level, heating is responsible for nearly 50 % of the final energy consumption. This heat is usually generated in form of steam using boilers which consume fuels such as oil, gas, and coal thus generating CO2 emissions.The project will investigate the combination of heat source technologies (solar thermal and steam heat pumps), thermal storage (steam and hot water), and coupling with waste heat sources (such as data centres/waste streams from industries). The project uses this hybrid concept with novel low-cost storage and steam-generating heat pump for low-carbon heating. The idea is to study the optimal combination of solar thermal and heat pump technologies along with necessary system components such as thermal storage. The waste heat for the heat pump will be recovered from data center.
Yuchi Harada, Kyushu University and Joakim Widén, Uppsala University
In collaboration with Absolicon Solar Collectros AB (Sweden) and Kolbelco Compressors Corporations (Japan)
Vertical seascape farming and its contribution towards food self-sufficiency- A study of industrial and consumption possibilities in the Japanese and Swedish markets
This project is based on our work conducted during the first stage funding of MIRAI 2.0 where partners in Sweden and Japan collaborated to research. The objective of this collaboration between Sweden and Japan is to handle the research gaps related to the possibilities of seascape farming for marine aquaculture production and consumption. The first round of research in MIRAI collaboration was a warm up that established a good pre-understanding of the issue. In the second reound of this collaboration, more information on sustainable vertical famring possibilites and the embedded challenges in production and consumption practices was gathered through the second round of our project. Particulalry, the lack of awareness regarding Blue carbon and the dwindling consumption of marine aquaculture in Japan was discussed. In the second round, we have now engaged the municipality of Seto islands and the Seto islands Fisheries Union in Japan, as well as private seaweed farmers from Seto Islands , Japan who will work together in the next phase with us. In Sweden we are actively pursuing contact with researchers at SWEMARC and Gothenberg University and preliminary talks are in progression to explore the next possible research steps. In the near future, networks will be established with Seaweed and marine aquaculture-based enterprises in Sweden and Japan.
Kazuhiko Koike, Hiroshima University and Soniya Billore, Linnaeus University
In collaboration with Hokkaido University
Marketing technology (MARTECH) for customer behavioral transformation to rapidly reduce food loss and waste
The overall goal of the project is to unleash the role of marketing technology (MARTECH) in transforming customer behaviour (TCB) for rapid reduction of food loss and waste (RRFLW).
Shunsuke Managi, Kyushu University and Avit Bhowmik, Karlstad University
In collaboration with Sophia University, Linnaeus University, Umeå University, Karlstad University and Aichi Institute.
Urban Climate Action Planning: A Comparative Assessment of Small and Mid-Size Cities in Japan and Sweden
The role of cities in responding to the climate challenges cannot be overemphasized. Local governments are expected now more than ever to lead climate action planning. Cities’ climate actions and strategies to address climate change are mainly embedded in their urban climate action plans (CAPs). Yet, insights on the suitability of these plans to guide urban climate adaptation and mitigation are limited, although previous studies have attempted to evaluate their effectiveness and perceived outcomes. Here, we proposed an integrated and comprehensive Urban Climate Action Planning framework to guide the development of suitable CAPs. The framework was pilot-tested with 257 urban CAPs. The paper presents key findings and considerations for urban climate action planning and future research.
Read more here https://doi.org/10.1016/j.uclim.2023.101550
Ayyoob Sharifi, Hiroshima University and Agatino Rizzo, Luleå University of Technology
Holistic Approach towards Building Resilient Society: Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Sustainable Development
This project aims to create research collaboration in the field of disaster science between Japan and Swedish Universities. International Research Institute of Disaster Science of Tohoku University will bring the experiences and lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, and Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science consisting of researchers of Uppsala University, Karlstad University, and Swedish Defence University will bring the holistic approach to climate change and sustainable development such as energy systems, and sustainable urban planning.
Takako Izumi, Tohoku University and Mikael Granberg, Karlstad University
In collaboration with Uppsala University and The Swedish Defence University with the national research centre The Centre for Natural Hazards and Disaster Science (CNDS).
Project on sustainable staple food and vegetable plant production
Food production plays a crucial role in the world’s move towards a sustainable society. Since most of our food comes directly from plants-while the rest indirectly are of plant origin, such as through meat production-we need to better understand how plants interact with the environment and use this knowledge to increase crop quality to benefit human health and consumption. The project explores the possibility to build a long-term research effort into sustainable staple food and vegetable plant production.
Åke Strid, Örebro University and Jun Hidema, Tohoku University
The Future of Smart Cities and Society 5.0
The Smart cities concept or Society 5.0 has attracted attention in the EU and Japan, respectively, in connection to the SDGs. This development can be seen in the light of increasing climate challenges and the debate on how society needs a broader transformation to achieve a sustainable future. This project aims at problematizing the concept of Smart Cities and Society 5.0 by studying a set of different challenges that exist in relation to this transformation: Digitalization, Connectivity, Energy, and Governance. At later stages, this project seeks to be a platform for bringing together stakeholders from different parts of society such as academia, policy and private industry.
Richard Nakamura, University of Gothenburg and Jesper Edman, Waseda University
In collaboration with Meiji University and Stockholm School of Economics
North-South Divide and Capital Flow: Exploring the Impact of Partnership
Through the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17, multi-stakeholder partnerships have emerged around the globe. This project explore how the partnerships influenced the capital flow, especially between global North and South, by focusing on green foreign direct investment (green FDI), green bonds, and international aid that are all important capital channel for facilitating the endeavors to achieve SDGs. The partnership data and capital flow data will be constructed and analyzed through collaboration between Kyushu University and Uppsala University
Malgorzata Blicharska, Uppsala University and Alexander Ryota Keeley, Kyushu University
Sustainability Challenges in Sweden and Japan: Comparative Perspectives on Blue Justice for Coastal Communities and Small-scale Fisheries
The project piloted investigations into comparisons of the current challenges and governance situations and strategies at local, regional and national levels—in the small scale fisheries, in both Sweden and Japan. This was undertaken with an eye towards addressing the interlinkages between environmental and social sustainability. This topic was viewed as important given that governments worldwide are increasingly turning their eye towards the oceans and seas for economic growth and development, as evidenced by the Blue Economy agenda of the EU and the new Japanese Fisheries Law.
Sebastian Linke, University of Gothenburg and Alyne Delaney, Tohoku University
Pollution of surface water by human pharmaceutical use
While the pollution of water from pharmaceutical use in human healthcare is among the pressing issues of our time, little is still known about how to address its effects on aquatic environments. By focusing on relevant cases of urban water pollution in Japan and Sweden, the project investigates unanswered questions regarding the pollution of surface water by human pharmaceutical use, the barriers and incentives to implementing technological solutions, as well as the management and governance strategies applied for addressing it. This is carried out by developing an interdisciplinary project where we can combine natural science with governance studies.
Irina Mancheva, Umeå University and Xuepeng Qian, Sophia University
In collaboration with Linköping University and University of Gothenburg
Climate Governance and geopolitics in the Pacific
The Pacific Ocean, including coastal and marine resources, is essential to human security and provide vital components for mitigating climate change. Power struggles over oceans involve resource competition, changed trade and resource flows, food security and climate-induced displacement and migration following loss of territory. However, oceans also form a thriving arena for interstate cooperation and are included in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through SDG 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. The project initiate a joint research effort between Hiroshima University and Linköping University on sustainability determinants in peace making and climate and peace dynamics in the Pacific.
Björn-Ola Linnér, Linköping University and Ayyoob Sharifi, Hiroshima University
Vertical farming and sustainable food consumption
Among the various challenges that plague urban development and sustainability are the issues of food production and consumption. This research proposal aims to contribute to the research gap through new knowledge and insights into the field. It focuses on the concept of vertical seascape farming and aims to investigate its industrial use and consumption perspectives.
Soniya Billore, Linnaeus University and Shiho Ishikawa, Hokkaido University
Developing advanced energy management systems
The energy management of PV systems is a process of gathering information from all aspects and recording of activities taking place in a system based on the different system types and user needs. This research collaboration aim to develop advanced energy management systems based on digital communications, machine learning, transfer learning and adaptive control for solar photovoltaic systems with energy storage that adapts after changing different kinds of conditions.
Jorge Solis, Karlstad UNiversity and Yoshiharu Amano, Waseda University
Marketing technology (MARTECH) for customer behavioral transformation to rapidly reduce food wastes
In a world of rapidly depleting economic and material resources, an important way forward is to improvise and rethink the food system to benefit socio-economic structures of the society in the long run. The project utilizes and compares Japanese and Swedish test cases for developing MARTECH interventions to reduce food waste for a rapid reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the food sector.
Read more here https://www.youtube.com/live/pDImA1c_-PY?si=UYI7A4pBthOB3wES&t=6555
Avit Bhowmik, Karlstad University and Shunsuke Managi, Kyushu University
In collaboration with Linnaeus University and Umeå University