RITE is conducting research on the analysis of greenhouse gas reduction scenarios for carbon neutrality worldwide, and the socio-economic impacts and sustainable development.

We will present our research results at COP31 official side event.

The future of high well-being in carbon-neutral societies

Measures and policies transforming the demand side of our systems enable carbon-neutral societies, that can achieve high standards of living for everyone. Reducing energy and material demand while ensuring high well-being for all is central to achieving global and local targets alike. Technological and social innovations on the demand-side can speed up the transition, lower costs and bring benefits for health, equity and development.

Drawing on scientific evidence and data from the Energy Demand changes Induced by Technological and Social innovations (EDITS) network, the session presents the frontiers of low-demand knowledge and practice. It also shows how they can inform climate policy, social development, and urban and infrastructure planning at local, national and global scales. The speakers will discuss:

• - the multiple benefits of demand-side solutions and recent policy innovations
• - the environmental and societal dimensions of net-zero futures
• - the costs of demand-side solutions as input to decision-making

[Date/Time]	Friday, 13 November 2026/16:30-17:30 Local Time, 22:30-23:30 JST
[Venue]	Japan Pavilion within COP31Venue & Online
[Organized]	Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth (RITE), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
[Program]	Speakers/Panelists - Keigo Akimoto, Group Leader, Systems Analysis Group, RITE/ Specially Appointed Professor, Institute of Science Tokyo - Keywan Riahi, Program Director and Principal Research Scholar, Energy, Climate, and Environment Program, IIASA - Joyashree Roy, Distinguished Professor and Director, SMARTS Center (South and South-East Asia Multidisciplinary Applied Research Network for Transforming Societies of Global South), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) - Nan Zhou, Senior Scientist, Energy & Resources Group, College of Natural Resources, The University of California (UC Berkeley) Moderator - Souran Chatterjee | Lecturer in Energy Transitions - Environmental Management & Sustainability, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth
[More Detail]	- Japan Pavilion Website - IIASA Website