The purpose of this paper is to review and introduce ongoing efforts for the implementation of SDGs in Japan, focusing on national policy and measures related to environmental protection and sound waste management. Insight into SDGs highlights current policy and measures on environment and sound waste management. One of the features of SDGs is its aim to integrate environmental, economic and social aspects of each goal/target. This point is the basis for incorporating SDGs in the revision of The Basic Environment Plan and Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society by the Japanese government. Target 12.5 directly refers to the crucial importance of substantiating The 3Rs by the year 2030. The whole content of the Fundamental Plan will be closely related to SDGs, and The 3Rs is now a key pillar of the Plan. In addition, related measures on the reduction of food loss/food waste as an example of implementing SDGs 12.3 and the enhancement measures for energy recovery in the treatment of waste are introduced as an example of the nexus point between climate change and sound waste management relating to goals 11, 12 and 13.

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With the establishment of a set of 232 global indicators, a three-tier structure for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was initiated this year, following the adoption of a system of goals and targets in 2015. Indicators are important pillars of the SDGs as governance through goals is simple enough to be composed of goals and their measurements without legal framework. The measurements include a progress report on SDGs prepared annually by the Secretary General of the United Nations as well as a Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR). As the SDGs involve environmental, social, and economic dimensions, a variety of measurements is possible, and the choice of index depends on the purpose of the measurement. Considering the autonomous and diffused nature of SDGs, an indicator and measurement scheme must be developed by stakeholders in order to maintain its comparable and action-based essence. The process of developing the indicator system is key to the successful transformation moving into the target date of 2030.

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In order to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of resource efficiency and circular economy indicator systems, this paper presents a discussion on the development of material flow indicators and target setting in the EU and some European countries. Since 2005, the EU has continuously discussed resource efficiency and circular economy indicators along with its target setting in the thematic strategy for sustainable use of natural resources. In 2011, Europe put a focus on resource efficiency and even more recently, on circular economy policy packages. For the latest policy circular economy action plan, EC have proposed a monitoring framework for a circular economy that covers four areas : production and consumption ; waste management ; secondary raw materials ; competitiveness ; and innovation and economy (with 10 indicators). This framework explicitly shows the EU vision of circular economy in terms of indicators. The EU has also promoted an estimation of RMC and has started experimental estimation of cyclical use rates to promote this transition to a circular economy. While some European countries, like Germany and Austria, have set resource productivity targets, EU has still not reached a consensus on target setting for resource productivity.

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In order to establish a “stock-type” society as opposed to a “flow-type” society, the effects of resource consumption on the natural environment must be fully understood. The research fields of material flow and stock accounting offer systematic methods for that analysis. The material flow in Japan calculated by the Ministry of Environment covers inflow, outflow, and net addition of stock (NAS) however, it does not indicate the material stock which has been accumulated within the society. Material stock is closely related to services provided to society and the resource value recycled from output to demolish the stocks. This research focuses on the importance of material stock to achieve welfare, and aims to evaluate the time-series quantity of material stock for the sake of having knowledge and information that can clarify the material stock being accumulated in Japan. Classification of material stock is examined on the basis of structural objects, instruments and services. Then, in order to measure the actual mass of material stock by year, a method of statistical processing is established at a high level, which fits national census requirements. Additionally, the question of how to figure out material stock and flow is examined at a practical level. Finally, three indicators related to material stock are proposed for supporting material flow indicators.

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First, I investigate how assessments of sound material-cycle (SMC) blocks are treated in the “Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society” by national and municipal governments and in guidelines and handbooks published by the Ministry of the Environment. I also review studies in which methods for assessing SMC blocks were developed and described examples of assessments that used the balance of the input and output of materials, carbon reduction, project profitability, and ecosystem services. Moreover, I point out that studies examining the Eco-towns—a type of SMC block—adopted the effect on CO₂ reduction, internal circulation rates of host municipalities, and distances the materials transports for procurement and supply as evaluation indicators. I further show that a necessary viewpoint came from mid/long-term assessments of the effects of individual projects involved in a SMC block by analyzing how indicators change over time. Some assessments focused on multiple benefits other than the environmental aspects, and I present examples that adopted indicators such as resident awareness of participation in waste separation, resident acceptance of waste treatment facilities, and the power of community welfare. Finally, I discuss the requirements and feasibilities of indicators and methods for assessing SMC blocks.

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Protection of the global environment, including measures to prevent climate change and improvement of resource productivity, are fields where the Ricoh Group can contribute greatly through its own business activities. In 1998, Ricoh established the idea of “environmental management” to simultaneously realize environmental protection standards and business growth. In an effort to conduct its “environmental management” policy, that aims to recognize society as a whole, Ricoh has put into place long-term, mid-term and short-term goals. The company is also working to develop concrete 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) strategies to fulfill these goals. In this paper, which focuses on resource circulation, index, target setting and specific examples of Ricoh′s efforts to achieve its targets are introduced.

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This paper introduces indicators for evaluating what SDGs have achieved in the context of a recycling-oriented society with lifecycle inventory databases serving as the foundation. It also provides an explanation using a general outline for IDEA, which is based on the bottom-up approach and the I-O analysis method. In addition, the paper shows development of environmental efficiency indicators and explains the evaluation method used by companies employing these indicators. Environmental efficiency indicators (CO₂ efficiency indicators) for Japanese industry in the year 2005 are calculated, and quantitatively show the characteristics of the industry. These calculations will be utilized as an indicator for understanding the degree to which SDGs are being achieved. This will also show how well the formation of a recycling-oriented society is progressing for the future and will help in the development of new indicators.

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Issues related to indicator framework in the Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society were discussed and a new indicator framework was proposed in response to these issues. Draft indicators for the next Fundamental Plan were debated, with the proposed framework being applied to potential key policies for the next plan, which is now under consideration. The connection between policies and indicators, along with the connection between material flow indicators and management indicators, were determined to be major issues in the current framework. An alternative indicator framework that consists of three axes — lifecycle stage, type of indicator, and policy item — was proposed in order to respond to the issues. In the draft indicators based on the proposed framework, concrete response examples relating to the issues being discussed were shown, including responses to other issues. The newly set axis — policy item — will change according to progress made in negotiations regarding the next plan. The connection between policies and indicators is however, very important in the indicator framework. Indicators for more detailed policy items over and above those mentioned in this article can also be set.

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