京都大学 大学院経済学研究科・経済学部

タイトル:　“Population and Environment: New insights from Societal Metabolism”　

Abstract: Population has long been associated with environmental impact, particularly due to its exponential growth since the Industrial Revolution. However, beyond mere population size, demographic dynamics such as population structure, migration patterns, and societal organization play a crucial role in shaping how societies manage resources, allocate time, and transform natural environments. In many advanced societies, declining fertility rates and population aging are reshaping this relationship, not only reducing population but also shifting labor demands toward caregiving rather than economic expansion.
The Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) provides a powerful framework for examining the complex relationships between resource use, technological development, and societal time patterns across multiple scales and dimensions. MuSIASEM builds on Georgescu-Roegen’s bioeconomics and complexity theory to move beyond optimization and technocratic approaches to sustainability. Instead of offering prescriptive advice, it promotes a deliberative framework that acknowledges systemic limits and incorporates overlooked perspectives. Through case studies spanning the EU, China, Spain, and Japan, this seminar illustrates how sociometabolic analysis integrates demographic and energy data to explore the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Additionally, exploratory analyses will examine how population aging, migration patterns, and household composition influence energy use and broader sustainability challenges. These insights will highlight the complexities of sustainable transitions and underscore the need to rethink labor, care, and resource use in post-growth caring societies, demonstrating how demographic factors—often overlooked—play a crucial role in sustainability analysis.