2018-3-2

Opening:3rd International Forum on Sustainable Future in Asia

NIES International Forum Report, Part 1

NIES International Forum—Toward a Sustainable Future in Asia

3rd International Forum Group photo
Photo 1: Group photo

The 3rd International Forum on Sustainable Future in Asia took place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from January 23 to 24, 2018. This report will provide an overview of the forum.

The NIES International Forum has been held annually since FY2015 by research institutes that conduct studies to realize a sustainable future, including National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science of the University of Tokyo (IR3S), and Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), to present findings and to promote discussion among experts worldwide, especially from Asian countries.

Marking its third year, the forum covered three themes that are important for the Asia-Pacific region: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Actions; Biodiversity; and Environmental Monitoring.

Approximately 150 people participated in this year’s forum including speakers. The participants came from a diverse range of backgrounds: students; experts; researchers; and representatives from industry.

Opening Session

Opening Session
Photo 2: President Watanabe of NIES

The opening session began with opening remarks from the representatives of the organizer, co-organizers, and the research institute of the host country. The first opening remarks were given by Dr. Chiho Watanabe, the President of the NIES. Dr. Watanabe gave an overview of NIES and NIES International Forum, and stressed the importance of applying scientific findings to actions to solve environmental problems.


This was followed by remarks from Dr. Ismail Harun, Deputy Director General of Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), who spoke on behalf of the Director General of FRIM. Dr. Harun stated that close collaboration between NIES and FRIM has continued for over 25 years and will remain strong.

Next, Professor Kensuke Fukushi of IR3S,one of the forum’s co-organizers, provided an overview of IR3S and discussed the need for integrating different academic disciplines and engaging in actions to realize a sustainable society.

The final opening remarks were given by Mr. Osamu Mizuno, Director of Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific of AIT, also one of the co-organizers, who spoke on behalf of Professor Kazuo Yamamoto, Vice President for Administration of AIT. Mr. Mizuno expressed expectations that the initiatives presented at the forum will develop into a platform for research activities. He also noted that, to achieve the sustainable development of international society, it is important for Asia to convey ideas such as ESG investing and shifting to electric vehicles.

Keynote Speeches

Keynote Speeches
Photos 3-4: Prof. Zakri (Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia)

Three keynote speeches were given at the forum.

  • Prof. Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, Science Advisor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia
  • Prof. Akimasa Sumi, Professor Emeritus at the Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science, the University of Tokyo
  • Dr. Ismail Harun, Deputy Director General of Forest Research Institute Malaysia

Professor Zakri gave a speech about the sustainable future of Malaysia, in which he outlined the country’s energy policy and low-carbon city framework. He also mentioned that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has placed “Green Tech” (specifically referring here to new environmental technology) as one of the key elements of the country’s future economic growth model.

This was followed by Professor Sumi, by his speech on climate change modeling research. Professor Sumi shared trends of research related to analysis on probability of occurrence of flood and typhoon. He emphasized that the increasing need for action-oriented research activities to solve problems as well as need for scaling down from a global perspective to a local perspective.

Lastly, Dr. Harun gave his speech on the current situation and future vision of sustainable forest management in Malaysia. He mentioned that six of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are related to forests, and also noted the importance of sustainable forest management for preserving biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and replenishing water resources. He pointed out that 56% of the land in Malaysia is covered with forest. Although a significant portion of that is primeval forest, the timber industry is still one of the country’s key industries. Thus, forest management is a particularly important issue for the country.

During the discussion session, attendees engaged in a lively discussion with the speakers. They asked a wide range of questions on issues such as how to maintain a balance between the environment and the economy and about adaptation actions to climate change.

Participants at the forum
Photo 5: Participants at the forum
Prof. Fukushi of IR3S
Photo 6: Prof. Fukushi of IR3S
Mr. Mizuno of AIT
Photo 7: Mr. Mizuno of AIT
Dr. Harun of FRIM
Photo 8: Dr. Harun of FRIM
Prof. Sumi of IR3S
Photo 9: Prof. Sumi of IR3S

Toward the Following Sessions

The morning session on the first day of the forum featured several speeches that were deeply related to upcoming three sessions, and attendees asked the speakers many questions. How can these questions be answered in the following sessions? The next report will cover the first session on “Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Actions.

Written by Yuri Sugimoto (Research Project Collaboration Division) and Shuichi Ashina (International Coordination Office, Planning Department)
Photos by Seiji Narita (Public Relations Office, Planning Department)