Event

The APAN Sub-regional Node in Northeast Asia, RCCCA (Research Center for Climate Change Adaptation) of Keio University, successfully held the fifth Annual Environmental Innovators Symposium on March 4, 2015 at Hiyoshi Campus of Keio University, in Yokohama. The symposium was organized at the same time as the APAN Northeast Asia Sub Annual Conference, incorporated with IGES, the Institute of Global Environmental Strategy. As the fifth symposium of this series we shed the spotlight on massive change emerging around the world. In total there were 45 participants, including 14 Panellists from Northeast Asia and other regions. As always, presentations and frank discussions were our chief tools. Diverse ideas and research output were collected in the morning and afternoon sessions and active discussions uncovered gaps in the understanding of massive change in its many variations. Following on the input from the previous sessions, the participants were separated into four groups where they were asked to pursue ways to bridge gaps for adaptation and to give a short presentation of issues and ideas raised during the discussion. Instead of one-way presentation on the front stage, all of the participants, including scholars, governmental officers, students and activists of NPOs sat equally, reconfirming understandings and made an effort to develop thoughtful solutions. Through the presentation, discussion and workshop we concluded that Northeast Asia is one of the most vulnerable areas in terms of massive change. Some of the changes, for instance mass migration, natural disasters or the breakout of disease are rapid and require immediate response. On the other hand some change such as global warming, ageing, pollution and ecological degradation etc. are slow and incremental, and the impacts are not easily perceived. These latter examples are more challenging to respond to as they are not always visible enough to be given proper attention. Ten gaps were identified and three solutions were proposed by participants. We believe this is a useful starting point to deepen and implement the ideas in the next phase of the APAN project and other related programs.