Background

The Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S), the University of Tokyo serves as a global research and educational platform for sustainability science which is a newly emerging academic field that seeks to understand the linkages among global, social, and human systems, and concomitant risks to human well-being and security.

United Nations University (UNU) as an IPSI member is engaged in various activities around the world such as Knowledge Facilitation and Policy Research to further understand the importance of socio-ecological production landscapes.

The IR3S and UNU are undertaking a joint research project on resilient sustainable societies based on the Satoyama Initiative from December 2011 to March 2013, which addresses resilience of ecosystems and societies based on the latest academic knowledge.

Project Activities

Sustainable use of ecosystem services and biodiversity, through such practices as agriculture and forestry, plays an important role in realizing societies in harmony with nature, the vision of the Satoyama Initiative. However, many such bio-production systems have been experiencing environmental degradation due to various impacts including rapid population increase, globalisation, urbanisation, natural disasters and climate change. Securing and strengthening the resilience of ecosystems and societies is critical to tackling these issues.

1) Objective

The activities are aimed to compile knowledge as well as explore new directions for resilient sustainable societies through discussions on the following themes:

• Innovative models of for the use of natural capitals in Japan.
• Co-management systems of natural resources
• Scientific proposal of resilient sustainable societies

2) Method

• Literature review and interviews with experts
• Expert discussions
• Develop a proposal on new directions for resilient and sustainable societies, which will contribute to the promotion of the Satoyama Initiative. Note: It is expected that this proposal will also become a useful message for Rio+20, which will be held in 2012 and other international conferences. IPSI Second Global Conference SC III/5/add.7 12 March 2012

3) Time frame

Dec 2011-March 2013

4) Expected outputs

A proposal on new directions for resilient and sustainable societies

Relevant Cluster

Cluster 2 (Policy Research)

Contact Details

Yasushi TADAMI
Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science (IR3S), The University of Tokyo
7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654 Japan
e-mail tadami@ir3s.u-tokyo.ac.jp