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Osaka University Graduate School of Law and Politics Noriko Okubo, Professor

Advocating an Asian version of the Aarhus Convention - building an international coalition to realize justice in environmental matters

Research grant

Project Description

This research looks to realize environmental justice and sustainable development in Asia with the view that ensuring viable public participation is crucial. It uses methods from multiple disciplines, including environmental resource economics and resource sharing, to analyse the implementation status of legal systems relating to citizen participation and factors that block this implementation. Researchers and interdisciplinary coalitions from each Asian country provide suggestions for a public participation and environmental convention for the Asian region (an Asian version of the Aarhus Convention).

Grant year
FY2013 Research Grants
Grant term
3 years
April 2014 - March 2017
Grant amount
12,000,000 yen
Activity region
India, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Philippines, Japan
A symposium at Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center (attended by researchers, magistrates, civil administrators, NGOs and others from 12 countries)

Overview of the Organization

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Representative
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Profile
Specialist fields
Administrative law, environmental law
Affiliated academic societies
The Japan Public Law Association, the Japan Association for Environmental Law and Policy, the Public Policy Studies Association Japan, the Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies
Background
Completed postdoctoral studies at Hitotsubashi University Graduate School of Law. Gained a masters degree in law from the University of Giessen, Germany. Receives doctorate in law from Hitotsubashi University. Served as full-time instructor and then assistant professor at Gunma University Faculty of Social and Information Studies, and professor at Konan University Law School before taking current position in April 2005. Visiting professor at Ehime University Center for Marine Environmental Studies.
WEB site
http://greenaccess.law.osaka-u.ac.jp/
Co-researchers
Takehisa Awaji (professor emeritus of Rikkyo University), Yayoi Isono (professor, Tokyo Keizai University Faculty of Contemporary Law), Makoto Inoue (professor, Tokyo University Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences), Kenji Otsuka (Director, Japan External Trade Organization Institute of Developing Economies' Environmental and Natural Resource Studies Group), Yukari Takamura (professor, Nagoya University Graduate School of Environmental Studies), Hidetoshi Yamashita (associate professor, Hitotsubashi University Faculty of Economics)
Research record
  • Policy on Climate Change in Japan and Voluntary Approaches, 2013, in: Marc Spitzkats ed., Rule of Law:Perspectives from Asia, 163-189
  • "Development of Environmental Agreement in Japan." in: Gilles J. Martin ed., Pour un droit économique de l'environnement, 435-444 (2013)
  • "Environmental group litigation in turbulent Germany." Hokkaido Journal of New Global Law and Policy, p227 onward (2013)
  • "Environmental democracy and guaranteeing access to justice." in: Awaji et al ed., New developments in environmental damage litigation, p91 onward, (2012)
  • "Developments in environmental administrative litigation in Europe" Takagi et al ed., Hokkaido Journal of New Global Law and Policy, p459 onward (2012)
  • "Australia's environmental courts and guaranteeing access to justice." Societal Development and the Creation of Rights, p763 onward (2012)
  • "Environmental Judicial Review and the Aarhus Convention." Japan Association for Environmental Law and Policy ed., Transformation in the settlement of environmental damages and disputes, p133 onward, (2012)