■ Theme: “Challenges and Prospects for Regional Decarbonization”
■ Date: Thursday, September 7, 2023, 15:00-17:00
■ Overview:On the occasion of this symposium, greetings were given on behalf of the organizers, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).
After the greetings from the relevant ministries and agencies, a keynote speech was given by Professor Sou Fujita of the University of Tokyo, a commissioned organization of the “Fundamental Research and Development for Accelerating Regional Decarbonization by Mobilizing the Power of Universities (University Project),” a project under the jurisdiction of MEXT, which is also the parent organization of the University Coalition Project.
After the keynote speech, a panel discussion titled “Significance and Challenges of the Participation of Universities and University Coalitions in Regional Decarbonization” was held to clarify the role of universities and university coalitions in regional decarbonization.
The video of the day can be viewed below (click here to go to the external site). Unauthorized use, reproduction, or secondary use of this video is prohibited.
■ Greetings from the ministries and agencies concerned
【Greetings by】
Yoshiyuki Chihara, Director General, Research and Development Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Mr. Chihara expressed his hope that the University Coalition would bring together the knowledge of the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences, and serve as a foundation for industry, government, and academia to work together to address complex issues with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050.
Yojiro Hatakeyama, Director-General, Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau (METI)
Mr. Yojiro Hatakeyama, Director-General of the Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau, METI, gave an introduction of the various initiatives for GX (Green Transformation) promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, as well as measures to further accelerate industry-academia collaboration. The Director-General of the Industrial Science and Technology Policy and Environment Bureau, Mr. Hatakeyama, made some brief comments.
Akihiro Ueda, Deputy Director-General for Promotion of Regional Decarbonization, Ministry of the Environment
Mr. Akihiro Ueda, Deputy Director-General for Promotion of Regional Decarbonization, Ministry of the Environment, introduced various measures for decarbonizing regions and lifestyles, and expressed his expectations for the participation of universities and businesses in the various policy menus developed by the Ministry of the Environment to achieve a high quality of life for the future.
■ Keynote Speech
Professor Sou Fujita of the University of Tokyo, the university project trustee, gave a keynote speech titled “Research on Future Goals of Regional Decarbonization and Social Implementation of Solution Planning System -Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan: Basic Research and Development for Accelerating Regional Decarbonization by Mobilizing the Power of Universities-“. The keynote speech was titled “Research on Social Implementation of Solution Planning System and Future Targets of Regional Decarbonization.” This lecture is not available on video.
■ Panel Discussion
After the keynote speech, a panel discussion titled “Significance and Challenges of the Participation of Universities and University Coalitions in Regional Decarbonization” was held, where the seven panelists listed below engaged in a lively discussion facilitated by Deputy Director Masato Taniguchi. At the end of the panel discussion, Professor Yukari Takamura (University of Tokyo), Program Director of the “University Power Concentrated Basic Research and Development for Accelerating Regional Decarbonization” project, commented on the challenges faced by the project to date as well as the prospects for the future.
【Speakers】※ “sw” denotes a sub working group of the university project.
(Panelists)
Keynote Speaker (University Project Representative): So Fujita, Professor, The University of Tokyo
SW: Local Autonomous Energy Dr. Toru Matsumoto (Professor, The University of Kitakyushu)
SW: Decarbonization Scenarios Dr. Shuichi Ashina (Director, National Institute for Environmental Studies)
SW: Coalition of Universities and Regional Zero Carbon WG Shozo Kazami (Director and Vice President, University of Miyagi)
SW, University Coalition, Human Resource Development WG Aki Yanagawa (Associate Professor, Meisei University)
External Organization Hye Sook Park, President (Chairman), Council for the Promotion of Sustainable Campus in Japan (CAS-Net JAPAN)
Secretariat of University Coalition/Jyukichi Yamakami, Director, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature
（Commentator)
Yukari Takamura, Director, University Project Program (Professor, The University of Tokyo)
(Facilitator)
Secretariat of the University Coalition/Deputy Director-General Masato Taniguchi, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature