Views on Lake Biwa from a Researcher to the Prefectural Governor: Challenges Posed to the Governor's Office in the Development of Life Environmentalism as well as Future Issues

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  • 琵琶湖をめぐる住民研究から滋賀県知事としての政治実践へ――生活環境主義の展開としての知事職への挑戦と今後の課題――
  • ビワコ オ メグル ジュウミン ケンキュウ カラ シガケン チジ ト シテ ノ セイジ ジッセン エ : セイカツ カンキョウ シュギ ノ テンカイ ト シテ ノ チジショク エ ノ チョウセン ト コンゴ ノ カダイ

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Abstract

<p>Volume 20 of the academic Journal of Environmental Sociology, 2014, (Kankyō Shakaigaku Kenkyu) features the theme “Breakthroughs in Environmental Sociology". Kanji Ikeda, one of the contributers, raises the concern that “environmental sociology generally seems to make only a small practical contribution to environmental policy making," and proposes some measures for “breakthrough" bearing in mind the dangers of engaging in the three discourses of “globalization", “sustainability" and “resilience" all of which can be abused as tools of governance. Among other articles, Mayumi Fukunaga, arguing that the “sustainability" discourse in particular should not be manipulated as a tool of governance, draws attention to Nobuko Iijima's “victim movement theory" and explains the importance of adopting the “yori-soi" research method embeded in “life environmentalism" proposed by Torigoe and Kada et al. as well as assuming Iijima's stance of “environmental justice".</p><p>This paper examines the significance of the “mottainai" policy that appealed to the electorate in the Shiga Prefecture Governor's 2006 election campaign, and also discusses the following factors that provide the background context to the campaign : the establishment of “life environmentalism" in the 1980s, the paradigm change which ushered in local resident participation (as concerned parties) in the building of the Lake Biwa Museum and residents participating in the Yodogawa basin wetland conservation policy-making committee. In addition the paper analyzes, the two-term Governor's environmental policy spanning eight years that involved, (1) basin flood control non-reliant on dams, (2) the restoration of the multifunctional aquatic cradle-of-life nature of rice paddies, (3) the restoration of the multi-functional role of forests and particularly that of huge trees (and their conservation) , (4) the awareness of the cultural value of Lake Biwa as part of Japan's heritage, and (5) the introduction of a “no nuclear power" policy to avoid radioactive contamination of Lake Biwa, and finally considers how to bring about environmental justice for a better future.</p>

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