Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
agreed at the Rio+20 summit in June 2014. FE's emphasis is the integration of
natural and social science and humanities to address real problems of society, and
the early engagement of stakeholders in defining problems and in communicating
solutions which can lead to transformation to sustainability and the necessary insti-
tutional, economic, social, technological and behavioural change. A key concept is
to encourage 'trans-discipline' research which means that research is not just across
disciplines (inter-discipline or cross-discipline) but engages societal stakeholders in
design, implementation and dissemination of the research. Section 5 of the Future
Earth Design Report (ICSU
2013
) recognises that education and capacity building
is necessary to provide human resources capable of the necessary 'trans-disciplin-
ary' approach. Resources will thus be needed to strengthen the Asia region's capac-
ity to develop the next generation of researchers on global environmental change
and sustainability, enhance institutions' capability to participate internationally,
develop innovative approaches to stakeholder engagement and co-design of trans-
disciplinary-oriented education and training.
14.3.2
Japan's Relevance to Future Earth
Japan's policy history also has much synergy with the needs of FE. Japan's 21st
Centennial Environmental National Strategy adopted in 2007 aims to establish a
Japanese model for achieving a sustainable society based on three components-low
carbon usage, high levels of material cycling, and natural symbiosis- all critical
steps in achieving a sustainable society. This strategy also recognized that Japan
can, through this industrial paradigm, contribute to both its own and the rest of
Asia's sustainable prosperity. As described in Chap. 1, both the Ministry of the
Environment (MOE) and the Ministry of Education and Science (MEXT) estab-
lished environmental leader programs. These programs support a wide range of
curricula and teaching approaches aimed at a broad range of environmental leaders,
and appear compatible with the trans-disciplinary, young researchers prioritized in
the Future Earth initiative. In addition the international links already established
within Asia in the environmental leader programs provide a good foundation for
adaption and expansion within Asia to provide the education and capacity building
envisaged in FE.
The distressing experience of the Great East Japan Earthquake is also relevant.
The earthquake and tsunami destroyed whole communities, and the aftermath of
the tsunami damage triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster. These events illus-
trated the challenges of applying science, technology and public policy to a crisis
with huge environmental and public health implications- in many ways analogous
at the local level to some of the challenges envisaged in Future Earth. Post-disaster
response also revealed many failures in the way institutions deal with science and
stakeholders; in the way established organizations fail to take an open approach
in seeking scientific advice, informing the public, and seeking co-creation of vi-
able solutions. These experiences are very relevant to the application of natural
