Hosei University x NHK SDGs Interactive was held on Tuesday, November 30, from 6:40 to 8:20 pm. About 80 participants, including online participants, gathered to discuss what we can do to curb global warming.
The first half of the seminar was a talk by Ms. Hitoko Hirata, Trustee NPO Climate Network, and Ms. Yuho Hara, a high school student who works at Fridays For Future Yokosuka, who had recently attended COP26 in Glasgow . In the second half of the session, based on a questionnaire answered in advance by the participants, students moderated a lively discussion.
Faculty of Sustainability Studies, students of Matsumoto Seminar were deeply involved from the planning stage together with students of Kawakubo Laboratory of the Faculty of Engineering and Design and the student group SASH, and Mr. Minoda (sophomore) took the stage as one of the moderators.
Two things left a lasting impression on me throughout the event. One is that as reported by Mr. Hirata and Mr. Hara, climate change measures seen in Japan, especially the treatment of coal-fired power plants, are completely different from the trend of coal-fired power plants abroad.
The other thing that Mr. Hara talked about, is the conflict and thoughts he had as he started to be interested in climate change and felt he had to do something about it. He told us that he has been wondering what he can do, and whether his efforts are correct, that Japan has different culture and customs from other countries, and that a similar active and assertive movement may not fit in, but that he thinks if each person who is interested in the issue has a little courage to act, society will change. I hope that this event will be a good opportunity for all of us to learn from each other and to share our thoughts and experiences.
This event will be featured on NHK General TV " Huru Hu-Mae Hot" from 11:30 a.m. on Friday, December 17, 2012. Please check it out.
12/17 note: The broadcast schedule for this seminar has been postponed. We will let you know as soon as it is decided.
Professor MATSUMOTO Tomoaki
