GEA International Conference2022
Appendix| Summary of Keynote Speech________________________________________________________________________
Hans J. SCHELLNHUBER, Emeritus Director at Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact
Research (PIK), began his keynote by expressing his gratitude and honour to be returning toJapan after accepting the Blue Planet Prize in 2017. He stated that the year 2022 marks the50th anniversary of the publication of The Limits to Growth by the Club of Rome, which
predicted that growth would reach a breaking point as finite resources of the planet are
depleted and environmental pollution progresses beyond the natural limits.
He mentioned that, for many populations living in environments vulnerable to climate change,in addition to the decrease in food production due to the conflict in Ukraine, resource
depletion is an especially alarming issue. He delivered his speech on the “planetary
boundaries” concept, some new EU initiatives, and some expectations for Japan in thisregard. The main points are as follows:
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The first assessment (2009) on planetary boundaries demonstrated that three of the nine
planetary boundaries (climate, biodiversity, and the nitrogen cycle) have been breached.
The latest assessment (2022; unpublished) shows that six limits had been breached,with the integrity of the biosphere at exceptionally high risk.
Despite the Paris Agreement adopted at COP 21, where Parties agreed to limit global
warming to below 2°C, and the Glasgow Agreement at COP 26 that elevated thisambition to limiting warming to 1.5°C, climate action has so far been insufficient: even a
1.5°C average temperature increase could cause massive and irreversible climaticchanges at multiple locations around the globe.
In his article1, the critical functional relationship between boreal summer insolation andglobal CO2 concentration was proposed, which explained the beginning of the past eightglacial cycles and anticipated future periods of glacial inception. It suggested that theglacial inception expected to occur before the beginning of the Industrial Revolution did
not happen, and that cumulative anthropogenic CO2 emissions would postpone the next
glacial inception by at least 100,000 years.
His recent paper 2 pointed out that anthropogenic climate change could threaten
civilization’s extinction. He has thus been calling on the IPCC to produce a special reporton this and would appreciate support from both Japan and Germany for its publication.
According to the latest science, unless there is a fundamental change in climate change
policies, a temperature rise of well above 2°C is expected; thus, it is essential to reduce
CO2 emissions and strengthen nature as a carbon sink.
The EU, with its “European Green Deal”, aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030

1 Ganopolski, A, R Winkelmann, and H J Schellnhuber. 2016. “Critical Insolation-CO2 Relation for Diagnosing Past andFuture Glacial Inception.” Nature 529 (7585): 200–203. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16494.
2 Kemp, Luke, Chi Xu, Joanna Depledge, Kristie L. Ebi, Goodwin Gibbins, Timothy A. Kohler, Johan Rockström, et al.
2022. “Climate Endgame: Exploring Catastrophic Climate Change Scenarios.” Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences 119 (34). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2108146119.

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and become the world’s first carbon-neutral continent. Decoupling economic growth andemissions from fossil fuels is well within reach, as demonstrated by the German example,
where gross domestic product increased by 48% between 1990 and 2020, whileemissions decreased by 41%. Average temperatures have already risen by 1.2°C, and,
under the business-as-usual scenario, are projected to increase by 4°C from preindustrial levels, far exceeding 2°C. Limiting global warming to 1.5°C is already a toughtarget, but warming must eventually be reversed to safer levels through the removal ofcarbon from the atmosphere.
Nature-based solutions (NbS) are effective in the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Reforestation of the one billion hectares of degraded area worldwide is one possible
measure. Others may involve using wooden materials produced under sustainable forest
management in urban buildings.
This idea was introduced in the article, “Buildings as a global carbon sink”3, publishedon the occasion of the G7 Urban Development Ministers meeting under the German
Presidency in 2022. The models estimated that, if the circular economy involving
construction materials is accelerated by growing and using wood and recycled materials,
this practice done over a century can contribute to massive reductions, including of pastemissions. (It is estimated that 500 billion trees need to be planted and about 2 billion
houses built with harvested biomass materials.)
The newly launched EU initiative “New European Bauhaus”4 aims to address issues
such as climate change by co-creating sustainable, beautiful, and innovative lifestyles
and spaces. They have held meetings on using organic resources toward architecture
for a new era.
Historical wooden buildings such as the Horyuji Temple and recent innovativearchitecture designed by the Japanese architect BAN Shigeru are good examples thatshow the high potential of retimbering the city and buildings in line with NbS in Japan, acountry where 70% of land is forest.
Albert Einstein's summer villa in the village of Caputh, south of Berlin, is famous for its
wooden architecture, designed by Konrad Ludwig Wachsmann. As Einstein famously
said, "The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch
them without doing anything”. We must face the facts and take action wheneverpossible.

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Churkina, Galina, Alan Organschi, Christopher P. O. Reyer, Andrew Ruff, Kira Vinke, Zhu Liu, Barbara K. Reck, T. E.
Graedel, and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber. 2020. “Buildings as a Global Carbon Sink.” Nature Sustainability 3 (4): 269–
76. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0462-4.
4The New European Bauhaus is a creative and interdisciplinary initiative to enhance European Green Deal to the living
environment. It was named after Bauhaus (German for 'building house'), an art school operational in Weimar, in early
20th century that provided comprehensive education in art and architecture, crafts and photography and became famous
for its approach to design.

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| Summary of and Comments from the Thematic Sessions________________________________________________________________________

Session 1 Decarbonisation and Energy Security

Session Chair:⚫

TAKAMURA Yukari
Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo

Special Lecture:⚫

KOIKE Yuriko
Governor, Tokyo Metropolitan Government/Former Minister of the Environment, Japan

Video Message:⚫

Alok SHARMA
President, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26)/Former
Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK

Speakers:⚫

MIYASHITA Yutaka
Managing Corporate Executive, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group⚫

SEKIYAMA Takashi
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Integrated Studies in Human
Survivability (GSAIS), Kyoto University⚫

Ulrik STRIDBÆK
Vice President, Group Regulatory Affairs, Ørsted

Current situation of climate change in Japan and the world⚫

Climate change is having serious impacts on the natural ecosystem, which is the basis for
all human survival, as well as on people’s livelihoods and the social economy, with climatechange-induced meteorological disasters causing enormous economic losses. Climate
hazards are a clear and present danger.

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The latest science, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th
Assessment Report (AR6), concludes that it is unequivocal that human influence has
warmed the planet. It is projected that the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events
will increase as temperatures rise further. In light of future climate risks, it is imperative tolimit temperature rise as much as possible.

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At COP26, the world resolved to pursue a 1.5°C target. Governments are encouraging
companies to respond to climate risks. Financial institutions and investors are heading
towards decarbonisation.

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With the dramatic fall in renewable energy costs, an unprecedented energy transition isunderway, making it possible to achieve decarbonisation and energy security simultaneously.
Policies that make this possible are critically important.

Climate security and the geopolitical implications of the energy transition⚫

The Ukraine crisis has demonstrated the risks of depending on foreign countries for energy.

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The energy transition may change the types of strategic resources required, thereby shifting
the balance of geopolitical power in favour of countries that produce such resources. For
instance, countries without cheap and stable supplies of renewable energy might be left
behind in the global economy. Furthermore, competition for green hydrogen will impact
countries’ industrial and economic power.

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Energy saving and the introduction of renewable energy could be immediate
countermeasures to cope with the energy crisis. In the short term, the use of fossil fuels may
increase, but in the long term, renewable energy should be the way to pursue for both energy
security and climate mitigation.

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Countermeasures against climate change have a significant influence on energy security.
The remaining time is said to be 10 years. If we do not act in this decisive decade, it will be
too late.

Current status of offshore wind power in the world and implications forJapan⚫

According to their experiences overseas, young employees of offshore wind power
development companies and investors are increasingly interested in sustainability. The scaleof offshore wind is so large it may have an impact on biodiversity, and thus it is important fordevelopers to carry out not only project implementation, but also biodiversity conservation.
Developers are working to address these issues along the entire supply chain, including thematerials used, in line with the goal of becoming “nature positive”.

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Dialogue with local residents and fishermen is an essential and unavoidable

issue inoffshore wind development projects. For Japan to achieve its targets of 10 GW by 2030 and
20-40 GW by 2040, it is necessary to increase the predictability and acceptability of project
implementation and to achieve coexistence with fisheries by identifying the location, scale
and timing of project introduction at an early stage. Increasing the scale of offshore wind
power projects will save implementation costs.
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Offshore wind power can create 30-40 years of stable employment for the local community
during the operational phase. It is important to provide not only more jobs but also
opportunities to acquire essential skills at same time.

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Offshore wind power is a technology that can be applied to Japan, which is prone to typhoons
and other natural disasters. However, Japan faces many technical challenges. Just as Japan
has overcome challenges to develop the Shinkansen bullet train, there is hope that floating
offshore wind power will develop significantly in Japan.

4Role of financial institutions toward carbon neutrality⚫

Financial institutions are tackling decarbonisation through finance. In addition to efforts
toward their own carbon neutrality, they are engaged with customers, including providing
support for visualising GHG emissions and developing and implementing reduction plans
and strategies.

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Along with support for green businesses, such as renewable energy-related businesses,
transition finance to support companies' transition towards carbon neutrality is important. It
is necessary to foster a common understanding of what constitutes an appropriate and justtransition.

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Policy support for creating a business environment can enhance business predictability as
businesses move forward with decarbonisation initiatives. For offshore wind, it is time to start
discussing what can be done to increase business predictability.

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A framework to ensure transparency in the project decision-making process is needed tobuild consensus on how to consider climate change and biodiversity, in addition to costs, inproject formation.

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Efforts by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the supply chain and consumers
who use the end products are also important. Companies are also required to reduce
emissions, including Scope 3. In particular, SMEs need support for decarbonisation efforts,
including the identification of GHG emissions, in order to continue their business.

Simultaneous resolution of climate change and other relevant issues
through maximising synergies⚫

Dealing with climate change is a challenge that has synergies and trade-offs with theprotection of water resources and biodiversity, and resource cycles. It will be crucial to act inways that maximise synergies while taking steps to mitigate trade-offs. The challenges aremany and complex, but it is necessary to confront them boldly so as to create breakthroughs.
Policies, finance and technology that make this possible are of vital importance.

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Session 2 Climate Change Adaptation and Water

Session Chair:⚫

OKI Taikan
Special Advisor to the President/Professor, Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo

Speakers:⚫

NAKAKITA Eiichi
Director/Professor, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University⚫

MIMURA Nobuo
Specially Appointed Professor, Global and Local Environment Co-creation Institute,
Ibaraki University⚫

SAITO Norio
Director, Urban Development and Water Division, South Asia Department, AsianDevelopment Bank (ADB)⚫

Luzette KROON
Chairman, Water Authority Wetterskip Fryslân/ Boardmember, Association of Dutch
Water Authorities responsible for International Affairs and Innovation

Scientific findings and projections on climate change and increased
disaster risk⚫

The IPCC 6th Assessment Report clearly states that human influence on global warming is
unequivocal and human-induced climate change has caused widespread adverse impacts
and related losses and damages to nature and people, beyond natural climate variability.

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Floods and landslides have become more frequent in recent years, but they are more severe
than in the past because climate change is causing temperatures and sea levels to rise andprecipitation to intensify.

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The latest scientific advancements, such as hourly output values from climate models,enable the prediction and estimation of climate change impacts on hazards, such as heavy
rainfall, and water resources. In addition, the contribution of climate change impacts toincrements of disaster intensification can be scientifically calculated through the “detection
and attribution”5 method.

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In the Asia-Pacific region, water issues have various multifaceted impacts. They are notlimited to disasters such as floods and droughts, but include worsening water access andfood insecurity brought about by water scarcity, water pollution, and biodiversity loss due towetlands destruction.

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There is concern that, by the end of this century, parts of South Asia and Africa will be at riskof heat waves and intense rainfall at magnitudes never experienced before by humankind.

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A method to estimate whether and to what degree, natural and anthropogenic drivers have favoured the occurrence ofa past event from a probabilistic point of view. Bellprat, Omar, Virginie Guemas, Francisco Doblas-Reyes, and Markus
G. Donat. 2019. “Towards Reliable Extreme Weather and Climate Event Attribution.” Nature Communications 10 (1).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09729-2.

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The RCP8.5-SSP5 scenario projects that 1.7 billion people, or 23.3% of the global population,
will be exposed to unprecedented climate risks. (Under the RCP2.6-SSP1 scenario, 401
million people, or 5.81% of the global population, are projected to be exposed.)⚫

We are not currently on a pathway to keep warming below 1.5°C/2°C, and society's choices
and actions in the next decade will determine the future of the world.

Effective and efficient enhancement and promotion of weather disastercountermeasures that take climate change into consideration⚫

An integrated approach is needed when planning and implementing adaptation measures.
Such approaches encompass integrating individual sectors and climate change measures,
addressing present and future challenges, and implementing so-called ‘co-benefit’approaches, which contribute to addressing other social issues.

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To move toward a sustainable society in the 21st century, we need to promote climateresilient development (CRD) and change the relationship between climate, ecosystems andhuman society to one that is healthy and sustainable. To promote adaptation measures, it isessential to develop a future vision for regions, where well-being is improved and citizens
can live with self-esteem and dignity, and, while considering aspects of climate mitigation,
share this vision among diverse stakeholders. It also calls for institutional frameworks, social
awareness, various systemic transformations and political leadership.

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Japan's flood control administration has undergone two paradigm shifts: updates to flood
control targets based on scientific climate change predictions and further incorporation ofbasin flood control and basin-wide response into flood control planning. Basin flood control
integrates disaster prevention, mitigation and regional planning. Going forward, innovative
adaptation measures for basin flood control and the quantification of their effects will be
required. It is essential to promote measures that are deeply integrated with other areas,
encouraging co-benefits between mitigation and adaptation by promoting soil carbon
sequestration through mountain and forest management, and promoting healthy water
cycles. In the Netherlands, integrated approaches to flood management are emphasised tocope with diverse hazards such as heavy rainfall, extreme heat and drought. Water-related
policies are considered to be a crucial factor in future spatial development.

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The Asian Development Bank provides assistance to river basins and coastal areas in India
and Bangladesh to address water-related issues caused by climate change impacts. The
Asian Development Bank makes comprehensive efforts to build resilient river basins andcoastal areas based on projections of climate change risks, and the knowledge gained fromthese efforts is being actively applied to adaptation efforts in other countries and regions.

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Delaying measures because of uncertainty about the extent of future climate change impacts
could make future adaptation more difficult or even impossible. Therefore, it is important topractice “no-regret” adaptation. In addition, due to the uncertainty of future projections, theconcept of “adaptive adaptation,” in which measures are flexibly adjusted in response tochanges in projections and circumstances, is also necessary. Monitoring and forecasting are
key to this process. This approach is necessary not only for adaptation measures but also
for mitigation measures.

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Long-term and sustainable funding is necessary for the steady implementation of adaptation
measures. To this end, the use of both public and private funds is essential. However, there
are many challenges in utilizing private funds for adaptation measures, and further
investigation is needed to address the question of how to provide incentives and other such
issues. In order to further increase investment in adaptation, the understanding and empathyof citizens are necessary. Efforts to gain such understanding and sympathy must not be
neglected.

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There are limits to risk management, and a crisis management mindset for dealing with risks
that are not recognised in advance is also essential. Experts need to be as imaginative as
possible and do their best to be prepared for unknown events.

International cooperation on weather disaster preparedness in the era ofclimate change⚫

Many areas will be exposed to risks exceeding what they have experienced in the past. For
example, some regions, such as Mumbai and New Delhi in South Asia, are expected totransgress the climate risk boundary at the end of this century, exposing the people in thoseregions to unprecedented climate risks never before experienced by humankind. Therefore,
in addition to adequate investment, countries need to take concerted actions, including thepromotion of science, technology, and innovation, to mitigate new risks.

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Even in regions that do not transgress the global climate risk boundary, there are many subregions that transgress the climate risk boundary within each region. Moreover, even if aparticular climate risk has been experienced in the past in a given region, historicalcircumstances and cultural, economic, and social factors may prevent technology transfer
and inhibit adequate adaptation. With such considerations in mind, it is vital to have a smoothtransfer of knowledge and technologies through global cooperation based on multilateralism.

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Sharing regional knowledge and experience through multilateral cooperation and mutual
learning on technologies and institutions is also essential for realistic and effective climatechange adaptation measures. For example, the Asian Development Bank's “Asia-PacificWater Resilience Hub”6 is developing capacity and providing various tools and technologies
to address water issues that are becoming more serious due to climate change.

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https://hub4r.adb.org/

8Session 3 Establishing Sustainable Societies: Bringing Biodiversity and Food
Security into View

Session Chair:⚫

TAKEUCHI Kazuhiko
President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
Project Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo

Speakers:⚫

Elizabeth M. MREMA
Executive Secretary, the Convention on Biological Diversity (Online)⚫

ISHII Naoko
Executive Vice President/ Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives/ Director, Center for
Global Commons, The University of Tokyo⚫

Monte CASSIM
President and Chair of the Board, Akita International University⚫

FUMA KenjiCEO, Neural Inc.

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TAKENAKA Mitsugi
Mayor, Kamishihoro Town Hokkaido, JapanThe decisive decade for a sustainable future⚫

The decade up to 2030 is called the “Decisive Decade” to overcome global environmental
challenges and pave the way for a sustainable future. It is the Decade of Action to achieve
the 2030 Agenda and SDGs, increase ambition under the UNFCCC, and concurrently
implement the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, the 2030 “no net loss” biodiversity
target under the draft post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF).

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Ambitious and comprehensive target-setting for the sustainable management of land andsea areas for food production is essential under the post-2020 GBF, to be adopted at parttwo of CBD COP 15 in December this year.

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The possible agenda items for the 2023 G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy andEnvironment in Sapporo, a ministerial meeting of the G7 Hiroshima Summit, might include
synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and climate, the assessment of dependence
and impacts on biodiversity by the private sector, and management of related risks.

“Food system” as a nexus challenge⚫

The food system, a concept that looks across the production, processing, distribution andconsumption of food, is key to linking human health and global environmental sustainability.
Although the world needs to provide healthy food for approximately 10 billion people by 2050,

9the number of undernourished people is currently increasing. Transforming the food system
is a prerequisite to achieving sustainability by 2050.
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Biodiversity and ecosystem services are essential for food production and are therefore
fundamental for food security and nutrition; however, food production is one of the major
drivers of biodiversity loss, climate change and land degradation. With such complex
interactions becoming apparent, the food system needs to be viewed as a nexus challenge
and addressed in an integrated manner. As such, it was meaningful to have this discussion
on biodiversity and food security at this time.

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Transboundary environmental impacts (spillovers) from high- and upper middle-income
countries to many lower middle-income and low-income countries through global trade are
significant. Keeping globalised food supply chains in mind, the relationship between foodimporting and exporting countries needs to be revisited.

Overcoming negative consequences of food systems⚫

Ten leverage points for transforming food and land use: healthy diets, productive andregenerative agriculture, nature conservation and restoration, healthy and productive oceans,diversified protein sources, reduction of food loss and waste, circular economy, digital
revolution, rural revitalisation, intergenerational and gender-inclusive measures.

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Implementation of the TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) framework:
valuation and economic internalisation of natural and social capital to address mismatches.
There is a need for businesses to tap into nature-related opportunities beyond the current
focus on risks.

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Constructing the “global agroforestry commons”: revisiting industrial agriculture fromsustainability perspectives and re-evaluating traditional agriculture, including smallholder
farming.

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Just transition: A just transition that includes the 870 million people engaged in the agriculture
sector worldwide, including indigenous peoples and smallholder farmers.

The role of business, finance, local governments and research institutions⚫

Businesses and financial institutions with long-term perspectives can be powerful drivers:
there is a growing number of institutional investors that have signed the Principles for
Responsible Investment (PRI) committing to ESG, with total assets under management ofapproximately USD 3,700 trillion in 2020. Companies are in the midst of transformation andneed to transition by balancing short-, medium-, and long-term perspectives.

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Role of local governments: it will be vital to take advantage of the diverse resources uniqueto respective regions, requiring innovation and the development of mechanisms tailored toeach region. A good balance between a long-term vision for the future sustainability of theregion and a response to the needs of the current generation is required.

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Role of science: valuing natural and social capital, measuring subtle changes in naturecaused by climate and other global changes, discovering novel and nature-based values,
etc.

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Session 4 Circular Economy and Countermeasures for Marine Plastic Litter

Session Chair:⚫

Raimund BLEISCHWITZ
Scientific Director, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT)

Speakers:⚫

Stientje van VELDHOVEN
Vice President and Regional Director, World Resources Institute Europe / Former
Minister for the Environment and Housing, Kingdom of the Netherlands⚫

SARAYA Yusuke
President and CEO, SARAYA Co., Ltd.

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Benjamas CHOTTHONG
Program Director, Thailand Environment Institute (TEI)⚫

Sylvain AGOSTINI
Assistant Professor, Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba
Director, Tara Ocean Japan⚫

FUJIWARA Masaaki
Chair of International WG, Japan Clean Ocean Material Alliance (CLOMA) / Executive
Officer/ Deputy Division COO, Sustainability Management Division, Suntory Holdings
LimitedOpportunities of a circular economy⚫

The circular economy presents a range of opportunities for Japan, creating synergies withindustrial decarbonisation and other decarbonisation efforts. It is estimated that 36% of
greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced through resource circulation in Japan. It also
contributes to resource security by generating value in Japan rather than depending onimports. Furthermore, the circular economy provides synergies with water management andfood security, and thus, can serve as a vision for the future economy and society. It presents
a model to better manage resources and the natural environment, both locally and globally.
While current resource circularity generally remains low, multiple cases of circular economy
applications can be implemented and upscaled. Cases for “nature-based solutions”, such as
growing seaweed, are compelling. Altogether, the circular economy can be seen as a key
policy lever towards the green transformation (GX).

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Managing resources sustainably requires measurement. Monitoring tools such as the Ellen
MacArthur’s Circulytics 7 or the Circularity Gap Reporting Initiative 8 help stakeholders suchas businesses measure and report their progress towards a circular transition. Japan should
ensure that circularity is measured properly, e.g. based on material flow analysis, and include
estimates of anthropogenic stocks.

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https://ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/resources/circulytics/overview
https://www.circularity-gap.world/11⚫

National and local policy measures should extend eco-design and green public procurement.
They should incentivise “design for re-use and recycling” standards, circular businessmodels, and set reduction targets, e.g., for plastics. Experiences from the EU and its member
states could serve as regulatory models for adopting a new circular action plan targeting theentire lifecycle of products, from eco-design to environmental information disclosure, thereby
encouraging sustainable consumption. Those efforts could become key pillars in the GX
roadmap for Japan.

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International cooperation is crucial: the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource
Efficiency (GACERE) 9 and the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE) 10
should be strengthened. Japan could undertake initiatives to agree with international
partners on core indicators and monitoring frameworks at different levels, as well as oncommon standards for product design. Japan should also help establish policy learning aboutmarket development for new circular products.

Mapping and monitoring the plastic pollution crisis⚫

Valued for its durability, strength and lightweight, plastics have rapidly become an
unavoidable component across our production and consumption systems. However, theirleakage into the ocean constitutes major risks for marine ecosystems and food; if unabated,
this could turn into a planetary crisis impacting our ecosystems, biodiversity, and humanhealth. This is mainly due to their difficulty to biodegrade, meaning that, once they are nolonger serviceable, they stay and fragment into microplastics, leaking into our environmentswith unforeseeable consequences. It should also be acknowledged that current technologies
suggest no possibility to eradicate microplastics that have widely penetrated ourenvironments. If unabated, such trends are likely to undermine the potential for blue carbon
solutions.

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We recognise the increasing severity of plastic pollution along the Japanese coastlines. The
conference also revealed disturbing insights into the situation in Thailand, although domestic
efforts to counter marine litter are on the way. Hence, mapping and monitoring are key tobetter managing plastic waste and mitigating impacts. Large-scale field surveys and impactoriented studies have been conducted in Japan and overseas, evidencing the presence of
microplastics in all collected samples from both surface water and sediment.

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Research is gathering further evidence on the effects of microplastics on coastal ecosystems.
Additionally, methodologies and monitoring tools are being developed to map the fluxes of
microplastics from land into the oceans. Further, collecting data on the presence, sources
and impacts of marine plastic litter in developing countries will be critical to minimise theimpacts of plastics. Evidence of the negative impacts from discarded fishing gear is
becoming clear.

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Supporting policy-oriented research on ocean health and marine food supply will be key toinforming decision-making and fostering innovation for plastic-free roadmaps. Data collection
and monitoring tools should be accelerated and harmonised at the international level to build

910

https://www.env.go.jp/recycle/circul/gacere.html
https://pacecircular.org/

12

knowledge on cumulated plastics, especially in hot-spots, and track progress towards their
reduction and cleaning-up. Similar to carbon reporting, mapping plastic emissions bycountries and main plastic producers will be key to ensuring accountability.
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Plastics are a visible and tangible issue serving as a vehicle to spur environmental protection
activities. Special attention should be given to the younger generation through dedicatedcommunication channels. Initiatives to crowd-source data virtually are crucial to forming ITbased partnerships across coastal communities and empowering vulnerable groups.

Accelerating the shift to a circular economy for plastics⚫

The main barriers to plastic circularity are poor waste sorting and municipal waste
management systems, and the lack of Extended Producer Responsibility 11 for industries
producing and importing plastic packaging. The current plastic recycling rate does not reflect
the reality that the vast majority of plastic is simply incinerated for energy recovery. For
instance, a B2B (“bottle-to-bottle”) approach is preferable; efforts should be accelerated witha perspective to end plastic pollution. Another obstacle is the limited demand for recycledplastics.

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At the upstream level, large producers such as the food and beverage industry and thefishing industry should aim at zero waste, foster the development of innovative alternatives,and lead actions to mitigate plastic pollution. Available alternatives including biodegradable
plastics and circular product designs should be clearly defined and communicated. In
contrast, dubious claims of being “bio-based” should be assessed via lifecycle analyses andquestioned in public debates. The urgent shift to a circular system for plastics will require
industry-wide standards and multi-stakeholder engagement. Green transformative cases
especially in the food and beverage industry promote good practices for circularity. Business
partnerships spearheading circular alternatives such as the Japan Clean Ocean Material
Alliance (CLOMA)12 should be expanded and shared globally.

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On the consumption side, avoidable plastic products should be drastically reduced bychanging expectations and behaviours. If necessary, bans should be considered. Engaging
retailers and raising public awareness on plastic pollution and its threats to the ocean, land
and human health will contribute to reducing unnecessary plastic consumption. Involving art
and influential figures is also a powerful means to raise awareness on environmental andwaste-related issues. The general public should also be informed about new alternatives andopportunities brought by the transition to a circular economy.

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In the post-consumption stages, priority should be given to restricting the disposal ofrecyclable plastics, illegal dumping and illicit exports. Technological opportunities to increase
waste collection and sorting efficiency should be deployed. Blockchain tracing systems canenable further upscaling and new business models. Industry-specific requirements to collectused products should be set along with the development of Extended Producer

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a
product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle.
12 https://cloma.net/
1113

Responsibility policies. Deposit-return schemes13 are key to closing the loop, as seen in the
Netherlands.
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Ultimately, missions to become “nature-positive” should be encouraged, for both private andpublic sectors, through the GX roadmap.

Fostering international cooperation to overcome the transboundary plasticcrisis⚫

The G20 Osaka Blue Ocean Vision shared in 2019 and the UN Environment Assembly’s
resolution 5/1414 adopted in March 2022 played key roles in putting plastic pollution on the
global agenda. With a view to Japan’s G7 presidency in 2023, efforts should be renewed andinclude action on combatting marine plastic litter, and upscaling sustainable fishery andmarine food, as well as marine renewable energies. Leading by example will be as importantas setting up new partnerships.

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Negotiations for a legally-binding international framework agreement on marine plastic litterare about to start. Japan should take a leading role and undertake efforts towards anambitious international agreement on plastic pollution. Its goal should underline theprecautionary principle, for instance by stating that dangerous interference of plastic litterwith marine ecosystems and health should be prevented. It will also be important to include
the accountability principle by addressing comprehensively all aspects of the plastic lifecycle
and its stakeholders; major sectors such as food and beverages, fisheries, and coastal
tourism could be explicitly mentioned. Setting up a monitoring and reporting framework will
be pivotal. In line with this, a coordinated system of national reporting platforms could be set
up by 2025 with a task to engage with stakeholders and foster policy learning. Given theurgency, a circular system for plastics that significantly reduces plastic pollution should beenvisaged as soon as possible, by the year 2030, in line with the SDGs.

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The use of official development aid (ODA) and new financial mechanisms to further promote
the circular economy and actions against marine plastic litter in developing countries is
encouraged, to support capacity building for waste sorting and management, the collectionof marine waste, and blue economy innovation in developing countries.

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Going forward, it will be crucial to ensure synergies between national roadmaps at theinternational level to achieve the reduction of plastic pollution across sectors and productlifecycles, as well as implement net-zero carbon strategies and ocean accounting efforts.

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Deposit-return schemes: A deposit fee is charged at the point of purchase of a product (mostly beverage bottles), andrefunded to the purchaser when the bottle is returned via a specifically designed system.
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https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/39812/OEWG_PP_1_INF_1_UNEA%20resolution.pdf

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