Symposium: "Considering Climate Change and Forest Conservation with Akira Ikegami"

Last December, the Paris Agreement was adopted at COP21 (the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in France, marking a new stage in climate change countermeasures as the world strives toward the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Journalist Akira Ikegami, who covered COP21 and the Amazon jungle, moderated a panel discussion offering fresh perspectives on climate change countermeasures and forest conservation strategies.

Opening the event, Ikegami delivered a keynote speech titled "Considering the Climate Change Problem." He distinguished between "climate change" (anthropogenic) and "climate variation" (natural), then discussed the current global issue of "climate change." He shared photographs from his visits to COP21 and the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, illustrating the situation on the ground. Illegal logging for economic gain is rapidly expanding in dense forest areas. Mr. Ikegami, who witnessed enforcement operations during his reporting, mentioned how observation photos from the Japanese-developed Land Observation Satellite "Daichi 2" are used as evidence for prosecution. He stressed the need to build a system where protecting the environment enables viable business.

This was followed by the first panel discussion, "Considering Climate Change and Japan's Future," featuring panelists Professor Yukari Takamura of Nagoya University; Hiroyuki Tezuka, Director of the Global Environment Group, Technology Planning Department at JFE Steel and Chair of the Keidanren Safety and Environment Committee's International Environmental Strategy Working Group; Naoyuki Yamagishi, Climate Change and Energy Group Leader at WWF Japan; and Miki Baba, Nikkei Ecology COP21 correspondent.

Discussions centered on how each participant views the Paris Agreement from their respective perspectives and what Japan can contribute to global warming prevention. Key points included that 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions stem from deforestation, and that forest conservation is effective for climate change mitigation due to its immediacy and cost-effectiveness.

The second panel discussion was themed "Considering Forest Conservation." Panelists included Mr. Mitsuo Matsumoto, Director of the REDD Research and Development Center at the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; Mr. Hirotaka Sato, Overseas Resources Department, Resources and Environment Division, Sumitomo Forestry; Mr. Yasushi Hibi, Representative of CI Japan; and Mr. Kenichi Shishido, JICA Senior Advisor for Global Environment / Deputy Director-General and Head of the Forest and Natural Environment Group.

The discussion highlighted that REDD+, an initiative to curb deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries while promoting sustainable forest management, is incorporated into the Paris Agreement. Opinions included that government backing is essential for low-carbon forest business models and that it is crucial for many companies and individuals in Japan to understand the importance of these efforts.

A video work produced under the theme "What would forests say if they could speak?" was screened. Actor Kevin Spacey provided the narration, delivering a message laced with sarcasm directed at humans who fail to understand the importance of forests, capturing the audience's attention.

Mr. Ikegami concluded by stating, "Forests must not only be cherished, but effectively utilized to preserve green spaces. It is vital to safeguard the global environment by ensuring the economic activities of each individual. Japan must share its accumulated experience with the world, considering coexistence among people, with nature, and with forests. I believe this is both challenging and rewarding."