Building A Sustainable Society Under Changing Climate and Ecosystems

The main agenda at the 15th Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC in Copenhagen is the joint endeavor toward a Post-Kyoto international framework for addressing climate change. The importance of creating a sustainable society where the environment and the economic development are compatible has been emphasized, with the development and diffusion of cutting-edge environmental technologies including renewable energy accelerated. In order to achieve a long-term goal, such as reducing CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050, however, it will be critical to review our urban structures and social systems including agriculture and forestry in addition to developing technological and economic methodologies. A systemic approach to integrating climate policy into new land planning policy and social system establishment will become very important. Since climate change affects biodiversity and ecosystems, it is necessary to explore the possibility of coordination between the UNFCCC and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). In 2010, the 10^th Conference of the Parties to the CBD will be held in Nagoya, Aichi in Japan, where a long-term biodiversity strategy and targets for conserving biodiversity beyond 2010 will be discussed. It is crucial to understand relationships between climate and ecosystem changes and integrate climate and ecosystem policies and strategies into a long-term national land policy and social system. Japan demonstrated that the formation of compact city can contribute to the mitigation of climate change as well as to the restoration of ecosystems through rehabilitation of land vulnerable to natural disasters. On the other hand, in areas like delta regions in Asia and desert regions in Africa, the influences of climate and ecosystem changes will bring a grave impact upon the lives of people and further worsen poverty levels. Integrated management systems are needed toward improved land management and better quality of people’s life including human health. The integrated approach to address both climate and ecosystem changes will provide us with a new scientific framework and fresh policy design perspectives. Global and trans-disciplinary approaches will bring developed and developing countries together to streamline the international community’s efforts. We now stand at a critical juncture to combat against the impacts of these environmental changes that human societies have never faced before. I am looking forward to exploring such new scientific possibilities and discuss innovative and inspiring ideas during this event and beyond.