The Chiba 2008 G20 Symposium

3.9.08

Today I had the opportunity to attend the Chiba Prefectural 2008 G20 Symposium on Global Warming and Biodiversity. This event was held about a 15 minute walk from my work at the Makuhari Messe International Conference Center (I believe I mentioned it in a previous blog entry.) The entire conference was free. Of course I had to do was register and let them know I was planning on attending prior to the date.

I woke up at 8am, checked the location of the event, made my lunch, and was out of the door by 9:15 am. If you want to be precise, I woke up at 6:16am when Lauren emailed my phone--she was in the room next to me--to ask whether I had felt the magnitude 3 earthquake. I actually hadn't felt it so I emailed her back something like this: "no i didnt :(" and went back to sleep. Later when I came home after the conference, she told me she had woken up to her bed be jostled around before her eyes. She was so surprised that I had slept through it and so was I; normally, I am a very light sleeper.

I arrived at the conference around 10:20 just in time to hear the keynote speakers. There were three speakers: Kunio Iwatsuki of Japan, James Edwards of America, and Jurgen Maier of Germany. Kunio Iwatsuki, a researcher at the Museum of Nature and Human Activities in the Hyogo Prefecture of Japan, spoke about the need for us to collect as much information as possible to show and predict the effects of global warming on biodiversity. James Edwards, a researcher at the Smithsonian Institute of America, spoke about the the need for a global network of information sharing. Finally, Jurgan Maier, a researcher and activist with the German NGO Forum Environment and Development, spoke about a change in mindset that has to occur in order for us to reduce our impact on the environment. There were several other speakers for various regions of Japan and around the world--Nepal and Costa Rica.

There were a few important messages that I learned from this conference:
1. Global warming has negative impact on biodiversity; therefore, we must find ways to stop global warming before more species are lost due to extinction.
2. Scientists have to work together to collect reliable evidence based on facts. They also have to use this information they gather to "convince and move politics".
3. Information has to be shared not only with the scientific community, but also with laypeople in the global community.
4. It is the job of non-experts and experts alike to collect and integrate the information they might find.
5. Developed nations like the US and Germany need to help developing nations use more efficient and modern energy services. For example, traditional firewood burning produces large amounts of carbon dioxide and is very dirty.
6. We can not "deny the reality for another 11 years [since the Kyoto Protocol was first introduced]". We need to "act now" to stop global warming.
7. The slogan of many of the speakers was: "We need to think locally, and act globally.".

I agree with all of these, but perhaps in the spirit of number 6, we should "act locally" as well. After going to this event my desire to do something for this movement was reignited. I'm not sure how I will help but I know I will do something.

On a lighter note, Leah showed me this catchy little video the other day. It may help you learn a little Japanese, and if not, it will at least make you giggle.



Random Side Note: I would like to wish all of you American's out there Happy Day-Light Savings Day! All of you will be "springing ahead" but I will still remain in the future--13 hours ahead of you. :)