International Cooperation on Carbon Markets toward Carbon Neutrality in ASEAN and Japan (In-person)
In recent years, both ASEAN countries and Japan have been advancing rapidly towards achieving carbon neutrality, particularly through the development of carbon pricing policies and the establishment of carbon markets. At the same time, as each country designs its own institutional framework, expectations are rising for cross-border carbon trading and the creation of regional mechanisms to link carbon markets.
Against this backdrop, the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) initiative, proposed by the Government of Japan in 2022, has attracted significant attention as a framework that promotes decarbonisation across Asia while seeking to balance economic growth with environmental protection. Within AZEC, carbon markets are recognised as a key instrument for enhancing the efficiency of emission reduction efforts and strengthening regional cooperation.
The Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), established in Jakarta in 2008 through an agreement among the leaders of sixteen East Asian countries, has been actively conducting research and analysis on the potential of carbon markets, policy design, and institutional challenges in the region through the establishment of the Asia Zero Emission Centre (AZE Centre). ERIA’s contributions have provided valuable insights for the development of carbon market frameworks.
The KAKENHI-funded research group (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B): “Decarbonisation Policy Cooperation and Economic Vision in the Asia Zero Emission Community”; Principal Investigator: Shinya Kato, Meijo University) has been collaborating with ERIA. This collaboration has naturally led to the present proposal for a jointly organised symposium.
This symposium aims to share the outcomes of collaborative research between our research group and ERIA, to explore concrete policy options for establishing carbon markets in Japan and ASEAN, and to deepen discussions on the potential for international cooperation on decarbonisation within the AZEC framework. Ultimately, the symposium seeks to contribute to policy recommendations that support the realisation of a sustainable, low-carbon society.
Programme and Agenda