Date: 20 Sep 2022  

Time: 13:00-16:30 JST 

Venue: Online  

On 20 September 2022 UNU-IAS will co-host an online symposium on community-based activities and governance for seascape restoration. This symposium will be the second in the Satoumi and Ecosystem Restoration Symposium series. Focusing on blue carbon systems restoration—mangrove, seagrass, and salt marshes—and citizen science application, the symposium will feature practitioners of blue carbon ecosystem restoration from around the world and discuss how we can enhance and strengthen restoration efforts.  

The symposium series aims to build momentum towards the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration for coastal ecosystems, creating a network of stakeholders for Satoumi restoration. It will share information on good practices and challenges, and identify gaps in restoration to develop policy recommendations. 

The event is co-organised in partnership with the Ocean Policy Research Institute, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), and the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS). 

 Language  

The event will be held in English and Japanese. 

Registration  

Please register in advance using the online registration form. 

Programme 

MC: Makiko Yanagiya (Programme Coordinator, UNU-IAS) 

13:00 Opening Remarks and Introduction

• Tsunao Watanabe (Senior Programme Coordinator, UNU-IAS)
• Hide Sakaguchi (President, OPRI, Sasakawa Peace Foundation)

Overview of First Symposium

• Makiko Yanagiya

Impact of Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation in Satoumi

• Junko Toyoshima (Research Fellow, OPRI)

13:30 Session 1: Citizen Science and Coastal Ecosystem Restoration

Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Citizen Science – Cases of Shiretoko World Natural Heritage and Indonesia

• Mitsutaku Makino (Professor, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo)

Coast Card Project in Chesapeake Bay

• William Dennison (Professor, University of Maryland)

Citizen-Centered Ecosystem Restoration in Tokyo Bay

• Keita Furukawa (President, Association for Shore Environment Creation) 

Q&A, Discussion

14:25 Session 2: Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration

Activities of the International Blue Carbon Initiative

• Stephen Crooks (Co-Chair of the International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group, International Blue Carbon Initiative)

Local Actions on Blue Carbon Ecosystem Restoration in Yokohama and Introduction of Japan Blue Economy Association

• Masato Nobutoki (Executive Board Member, Japan Blue Economy Association)

Restoration of Eelgrass Beds and Satoumi Activities in Hinase, Bizen City

• Takehiro Tanaka (Director, Satoumi Research Institute)

Q & A, Discussion

15:25 Session 3: Panel Discussion

Moderator: Naomi Harada (Professor, University of Tokyo)

Panellists:

• Keita Furukawa
• Takehiro Tanaka
• Masato Nobutoki
• Hiroetsu Aoyama (Director, Environmental Policy Office, Ocean and Environmental Policy Division, Ports and Harbours Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism)
• Yohei Mori (Assistant Director, Biodiversity Policy Division Nature Conservation Bureau, MOEJ

16:25 Closing Remarks

• Naohisa Okuda (Director General, Nature Conservation Bureau, MOEJ)