UNEP and International Environmental Activities
26th June 2020

Taka Hiraishitaka.hiraishi@gmail.com

“Global Environmental problems”
Local, subnational, or national environmental
problems, which are faced with by all countries:
E.g., urban or industry-related pollution, soil contamination orloss, lack of water resources, waste disposal problems.

Regional, or multi-national environmental problems,with international implications:E.g., transboundary air pollution, acid rain, forest loss,
expansion of desertification, soil degradation, contamination
or degradation of internationally shared water bodies (lakes,
rivers and coastal marine environment)

Environmental problems with global significance:
E.g., climate change, stratospheric ozone layer depletion, lossof biological diversity, environmental contamination bypersistent chemicals or trace contaminants.
2

Environment-development nexus
Intrinsic relationships between insufficientdevelopment in developing countries, poverty andenvironmental degradation.
Not-widely-spoken causes of under-development– corruption, civil war, incompetence ofgovernment.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/108-million-people-world-facesevere-food-insecuritysituation-worsening

3

Environmental problems, “Kogai” inJapan – e.g., MINAMATA Disease Case
• Early official recognition (report to local health office)
was in 1953, but government’s formal statement on its
cause was made only in 1968 – organic mercury was
generated in a chemical process using inorganic
mercury, emitted to the sea, accumulated in fish stocks,
and health damage resulted. Officially recognizedpatients are more than 7,500.
• Paralysis, body deformation, centric eyesight, etc.
• In the early years, it was called, “weird disease” andthere were discrimination cases against patients.
• Prevention may have been difficult, but there were lotsof unfortunate incidents.

From Mr. William Eugene Smith’s book, “Minamata” –While pregnancy, Methyl Mercury moved to embryo, thus
leaving rather healthy mother and a deformed daughter.

メチル水銀が母親から胎児に移るため、出生児の症状が重くなる。
5

Serious Air Pollution Problems in Japan• In 1960s and early 1970s, there were serious air pollution problems
in many industrialized cities, such as Yokkaichi, Kitakyushu, Kawasaki,
and Osaka.
• Causes were Sulfur Oxides (SOx), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Particulates
matter (PM <-> PM2.5), Photochemical Oxidants. In a few areas,
Lead pollution (from automobile emission) and Carbon Monoxide
pollution occurred.
• Air pollution patients, recognized under Environmental Pollution
Compensation Law, reached the level of 100 thousands.
• There were strong public movements, some of which led to theprevention of further pollution.
• Especially by strong air control regulations (on both stationary andmobile sources), many air pollution control technologies weredeveloped and widely introduced, such as Flue Gas Desulfurization
or Denitrifications.
• In early 1970s, removal of Lead from gasoline was introduced, which
was extremely unique in the world.
6

Success Stories
Kitakyushu in 1960s and current air quality<http://www.city.kitakyushu.lg.jp/kankyou/file_0264.html>

Ambient SO2 Concentration (National Monitoring
Stations

7

International cooperation –types of organizations and programmes• Intergovernmental organizations• UN, UN Specialized Agencies and programmes, e.g., WHO, UNESCO,
WMO, FAO, UNIDO, IAEA, ICAO, IMO, World Bank Group, and UN
Programmes, e.g., UNDP, UNCTAD, UNICEF, UNEP
• OECD (Trade, Development, Environment)• Regional banks• GEF, other environmental programmes• IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)• Intergovernmental agreements• UNFCCC, UNCBD, Basel Convention, CITES, Chemicals conventions,regional agreements (e.g., international rivers, trans-fronteer air
pollution).

• Bilateral cooperation organizations and programmes• International organizations and programmes• Non-governmental organisations• Research institutions and programmes, RESEARCHERS.
8

1972 United Nations Conference on the
Human Environment• From 5th June 1972, United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment
was held in Stockholm, which adopted
Human Environment Declaration, andAction Plan comprising of 109
recommendations and others.
• Originally, Sweden and other developed countries
proposed an UN Conference on Environmental
Pollution, but developing countries argued poverty
and insufficient development are more
problematic. Thus, the conference was called, “. . .
on the Human Development”.
• 5th June was named, “World Environment Day”.
The month of June is “Environment Month” inJapan.
10

Establishment of UNEP
• By UN General Assembly resolution 2994 (XXVII) in December 1972, United Nations
Environment Programme was established, composed of;• A Small Secretariat to be established in Nairobi, Kenya• Environment Fund (US$ 100 million per 5 years)• Environmental Co-ordination Board (responsible for coordination of activities within UN System.
UNEP Executive Director is its Chairman.)• UNEP is not a UN Specialized Agency, but is a “programme” of the UN Headquarters, like
UNICEF, UNHCR, or UNDP that have coordinating functions over the UN system.
• As a result of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, “Rio+20” (in 2002) in
Rio in June 2012, 58 member Governing Council of UNEP was changed to United Nations
Environment Assembly (UNEA) , which are represented by all the UN member States. The firstsession of UNEA was held in June 2014. It will be held every two years..

UNEP Headquarters（The most beautiful UN site!)11Mission and Mandate of UNEP
Mission• “To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring
for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling
nations and peoples to improve their quality of life withoutcompromising that of future generations.”（将来世代を害することなく生活の質を向上するために、環境対策のリーダーシップ
を提供、パートナーップを促進する。）

Mandate• "to be the leading global environmental authority that sets
the global environmental agenda, that promotes the coherent
implementation of the environmental dimensions ofsustainable development within the United Nations systemand that serves as an authoritative advocate for the global
environment“(全世界環境アジェンダを設定する主な地球環境権威となる。)

UNEP Executive Directors’ International
Environmental Leadership• UNEP Executive Director (Elected by UNGA. UN Under-Secretary-General),
Chair of the UN Environmental Management Group and fulfil UN Systemwide coordination.
http://www.unemg.org/• 1973-1974: Maurice Strong （Canada）• 1975-1992: Mostafa Kamal Tolba （Egypt）======>• 1993-1997: Elizabeth Dowdeswell （Canada）• 1998-2006: Kraus Toepfer （Germany）

Nov.2007 at IPCC
Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony• 2006- 2016: Achim Steiner (Germany. Ex-Director General, IUCN. Elected to UNDP
Administrator in April 2017.)• 2017-2018: Erik Solheim (Ex- Norwegian Ministe r for International Cooperation, and Chairmanof OECD DAC. Abruptly resigned in November 2018. MsJoyce Msuya （Tanzania) became
Acting ED,)
• In February 2019. Ms.Inger Andersen was elected to ED by UNGA, and assumed the post on
15th June 2019.
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/secretary-general-nominates-inger-andersen-denmark-executive

https://www.iucn.org/about/senior-management/director-general
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inger_Andersen_(environmentalist)

13

Major Achievements of UNEP
• Development of fundamental legal principles, such as on
Shared Natural Resources.
• Production and dissemination of environmental Assessments,
including, Global Environment Outlook (1-5), sub-regional
assessments, sectoral assessments, and early warnings, andpromotion of public awareness.

• Central role in development of international law, such as;• Washington Convention on Protection of Endangered Wild Species.
• Basel Convention on Transfrontier movements of hazardous wastes,• Vienna Convention on Protection of Stratospheric Ozone Layer (and its
Protocols.)• Desertification Convention.
• Hazardous Chemicals Control Conventions (Rotterdam on PICs,
Stockholm on POPs.)• Biological Diversity Contention and its Protocols.

• International negotiation forums, such as those on;• Environmental economics, investment, insurance, trade, environmental
technology.
• Promotion of regional environmental cooperation.
14

Priority Areas of UNEP
• Climate change• Disasters and conflicts• Ecosystem management• Environmental governance• Chemicals and waste• Resource efficiency• Eenvironment under review

15Structure of UNEP Secretariat

http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/22217/UNEnvironmentOrganigramme.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yManagement Staff
https://www.unenvironment.org/people/leadership• Headquarters••

Communication Division
Economy Division•

Ecosystems Division•••

Law Division
Science Division
Economy Division• UNEP Collaborating Centres
•
•
•
•
•
•

Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy (BASE)•••BCA Centre for Sustainable Buildings (CSB)
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
Global Efficient Lighting Centre (GELC)
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Global Resource Information Database (GRID)UNEP Collaborating Centre on Water and Environment (UCC-Water)
UNEP DTU Partnership
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)•UNEP International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP

GlobalBiodiversity
Outlook 4• http://www.env.
go.jp/nature/upl
ode/upfile/gbo4/gbo4-jp-lr1.pdf

18

Global Mercury Assessment
2013 (UNEP)• “Global Mercury Assessment
2013: Sources, emissions,releases, and environmental
transport” was an importantbackground report for thenegoatiation.
<http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstr
eam/handle/20.500.11822/798
4/Global%20Mercury%20Assessm
ent201367.pdf?sequence=3&isAllo
wed=y>
19

Emission
sourcesofMercuryAssessment Report (1)GEO: Global Environment Outlook(1997)(1999)(2002)(2007)(2012)

Regional summaries of GEO6 were
issued by May 2016.

<https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/7644/Summary_of_the_sixth_global_Environment_Outlook_GEO6_Regional_assessments_Key_findings_and_policy_messages_UNEP_EA2_INF_172016GEO-6_summary_en.p.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y><http://www.unep.org/geo/assessments/regional-assessments/regional-assessment-asia-and-pacific>

International developments in environmentand development• 1972, June: United Nations on the Human Development• 1982, June: Special Session of UNEP Governing Council• 1987, April: World Commission on Environment and Development – Report - Our
Common Future. “Sustainable Development”• 1992, June: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development – Agenda
21 (in Rio de Janairo).
• 1993 – 2011(?) annually: UN Commission on Sustainable Development• 1997, June: United Nations General Assembly Special Session of RIO+5• 2000. September: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)• 2002, August-September, World Summit on Sustainable Development (inJohannesburg)• 2012, June: United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) (in Riode Janairo)• 2015, September: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals
22

Environmental Conventions• Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importanceespecially as Waterfowl Habitat (1971)• Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(1973)• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)• Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements ofHazardous Wastes and Disposal (1989)• Convention on Biological Diversity（CBD）(1992)• United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1992)• United Nations Convention on Desertification (UNCCD) (1994)• Conventions for Chemicals Control（Rotterdam Convention (1998) andStockholm Convention (2001))• Minamata Convention on Mercury (2013)• Marine Pollution Conventions (IMO)• …
• (There are more than 200 MEAｓ, including regional, or bilateral.）23

Before talking of environmental
agreements --- (1)Vienna Convention on the law of treaties (with annex).
Concluded at Vienna on 23 May 1969
• Article 12. CONSENT TO BE BOUND BY A TREATY EXPRESSED BY
SIGNATURE• Article 14. CONSENT TO BE BOUND BY A TREATY EXPRESSED BY
RATIFICATION, ACCEPTANCE OR APPROVAL• Article 18. OBLIGATION NOT TO DEFEAT THE OBJECT AND PURPOSE OF A
TREATY PRIOR TO ITS ENTRY INTO FORCE
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%201155/volume-1155-I18232-English.pdf

Ref: Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961
http://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf
24Before talking of environmental
agreements --- (2)There are various types of environmental
agreements!
• Most of them are inspirational/encouraging/advocating, and contain registration or reporting.
• Many are meant to facilitate inter-national/
regional/oligo-national environmental actions.
• Some contain legal obligations, such as restrictions
on international trade.
• Some provides for financial supporting mechanism.
25

IN RELATION TO JAPAN;• International Environmental Technology Center(IETC) and its Collaboration Center in IGES.
• IGES also participates in the UNEP FI (Financial
Initiative), and serves as one of its support centers.
• IGES supports, in particular, regional activities of
GEO preparation.
• Japan strongly support and is an instrumental
member of the UNEP NOWPAP (North Western
Pacific Action Programme).

UN Environment Assembly 4th session• UNEA-4 was convened pm 11th-15th March 2019 in Nairobi.
http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly
http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/theme-fourth-session-unenvironment-assembly• Its main theme was “Innovative solutions for environmental
challenges and sustainable consumption and production[UNEP/EA.4/17]
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/press-release/media-advisory-world-zero-solutions-future-4th-un-environment• Side events (Sustainable Innovation Expo)
http://web.unep.org/environmentassembly/sustainable-innovation-expo

27

Ministerial Declaration of the 2019 United Nations
Environment Assembly “Innovative Solutions For
Environmental Challenges And Sustainable
Consumption And Production• We, the world’s ministers for the environment, … are dedicated toaddressing environmental challenges through advancing innovative
solutions, and to moving towards sustainable and resilient societies
through sustainable consumption and production patterns,• innovative approaches and solutions are necessary to move our worldcloser to the vision set out in the outcome document of the United
Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio deJaneiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012, entitled, “The future wewant”, and in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development• We are, however, deeply concerned about the findings of relevant
global environmental assessments• …
• We request the Executive Director of the United Nations
Environment Programme to track the implementation of theactions set out in this declaration• http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27701/Draft%20Ministerial%20Decl
aration%20Fifth%20Draft%20as%20of%2014.03.2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y28

UNEA4 Outcome
EA4_HLS_1_Ministerial declaration of UEA4n
EA4_Res_02_Promoting sustainable practices
and innovative solutions for curbing food
EA4_Res_03_Sustainable mobility
EA4_Res_04_Addressing environmental
challenges through sustainable businesspractices
EA4_Res_05_Sustainable infrastructure
EA4_Res_06_Marine plastic litter andmicroplastics
EA4_Res_07_Environmentally soundmanagement of waste
EA4_Res_08_Sound Management ofChemicals and Wastes
EA4_Res_09_Addressing Single-use Plastic
Products Pollution
EA4_Res_10_Innovations on biodiversity andland degradation
EA4_Res_11_Protection of the Marine
Environment from Land-Based Activities
EA4_Res_12_Sustainable Management for
Global Health of Mangrove
EA4_Res_13_Sustainable coral reefs
management
EA4_Res_14_Sustainable Nitrogen
Management

EA4_Res_15_Innovations in Sustainable
Rangelands and Pastoralism
EA4_Res_16_Conservation and Sustainable
Management of Peatlands
EA4_Res_17_Promote gender equality, and thehuman rights and empowerment of women andgirls in environmental governance
EA4_Res_18_Poverty Environment Nexus
EA4_Res_19_Mineral resource governance
EA4_Res_20_Fifth Programme for the Development
and Periodic Review of Environmental Law(Montevideo V) - Delivering for People and thePlanet
EA4_Res_21_Implementation Plan - Towards a
Pollution-free Planet
EA4_Res_22_Implementation and follow up of
UNEA resolutions and related activities
EA4_Res_23_Keeping the World Environment
under Review - Enhancing UNEP Science-Policy
Interface and Endorsement of the Global
Environment Outlook
EA4_Decision 4-1_Fund Programme for 2020-2021
EA4_Decision 4-2_Agenda_date_vemue of UNEA5EA4_Decision 4-3_Management of Trust Funds andEarmarked Contributions
29

UNEA4’s Major Agenda Item (1) Marine Plastics•

Since UNEA3 (December 2017), marine plastics has been one of the central question in UNEA. See:•ea-4-12_Progress in the work of the ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics established by resolution
3/7•

Ea-4-11 Analysis of voluntary commitments targeting marine litter and microplastics pursuant to resolution 3/7• UNEA4 Adopted 4/6. Marine plastic litter and microplastics, by which•

UNEA 5. Requests the Executive Director, through the United Nations Environment Programme’s 10-Year Framework ofProgrammes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns,3 to develop guidelines for the use and production of plastics
in order to inform consumers, including about standards and labels; to incentivize businesses and retailers to commit themselves
to using sustainable practices and products; and to support governments in promoting the use of information tools and incentives
to foster sustainable consumption and production;•

7. Decides to extend until its fifth session the mandate of the ad hoc open-ended expert group on marine litter and microplastics
established by its resolution 3/7•

8. Invites the Environment Management Group to engage in and contribute to the work of the ad hoc open-ended expert groupon marine litter and microplastics by providing, inter alia, mapping of all United Nations agencies, programmes, initiatives andother sources of expertise relating to marine litter, including plastic litter and microplastics

http://www.env.go.jp/council/03recycle/y0312-04b.html
https://www.env.go.jp/council/03recycle/y0312-00/toshin.pdf
https://www.env.go.jp/press/106290.html
https://www.env.go.jp/council/03recycle/【資料%EF%BC%93】海洋プラスチック問題について.pdf
EUのSingle Use Plastics に関する決定（3月29日）（Phase out の目標年は、20２6年）
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+TA+P8-TA-2019-0305+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN
G-20 (Osaka in June 2019) “G20 Implementation Framework for Actions on Marine Plastic Litter “
https://g20.org/pdf/documents/en/annex_14.pdf

30

Source: UNEP/AHEG/2018/1/INF/3

THノート：適切な処理処分がされていないものが問題。

UNEA4’s Major Agenda Item (2) - GEO 6• Though lightly delayed from the target time decided by UNEA3, GEO6’s
Summary for Policy Makers was adopted by an intergoverment meeting on
21st-24th January 2019, and, together with the full GEO6 report, it was
submitted to UNEA4. UNEA 4 welcomed them with appreciation.
[EA4_Res_23_Keeping the World Environment under Review - Enhancing
UNEP Science-Policy Interface and Endorsement of the Global Environment
Outlook]• GEO6 Full Report (>350MB)
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27539/GEO6_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isA
llowed=y• GEO6 Summary for Policy Makers （EA 4/18)
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27652/GEO6SPM_EN.pdf?sequence=1&i
sAllowed=y• GEO6 Video
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/video/planet-focus-global-environment-outlook
https://youtu.be/3dyhAcGyd20
32

UNEA’s Major Agenda Item (3) - International
Environmental Law• Since 1982, UNEP has been implementing Programme for theDevelopment and Periodic Review of Environmental Law,
“Montevideo Programme”, which contains, inter alia, capacity
building of law experts in developing countries. UNEP reviewed
its fourth phase (MP-IV) and submitted a proposal ofMontevideo-V (2020-2029) [UNEP/EA.4/19] . UNEA4 agreed

its implementation and agreed to carry out its review by 2025.
[EA4_Res_20_Fifth Programme for the Development andPeriodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo V) Delivering for People and the Planet].

• Under the UN General Assembly auspices, UNSG prepared in2018, a report, “Gaps in international environmental law andenvironment related instruments: towards a global pact for theenvironment” (A/73/419. As a follow up, the first substantive
expert meeting (first session) was convened in January 2019,second session in March 2019, and the third session was hedd
in May 2019, all in Nairobi.
http://enb.iisd.org/download/pdf/enb3503e.pdf
33Some recent UNEP reports

https://www.unenvironment.org/resources?f%5B0%5D=category%3A452&keywords=&page=0• GEO6、GEO6 SPM

https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27539/GEO6_2019.pdf?sequence=1&i
sAllowed=y• Global Resources Outlook 2019: Natural Resources for the Future
We Want: summary for policymakers
https://papersmart.unon.org/resolution/uploads/k1804016-1_0.pdf#overlay-context=presession-unea4• A review of 20 Years’ Air Pollution Control in Beijing
https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/report/review-20-years-air-pollution-control-beijing• Global Chemicals Outlook II: From Legacies to Innovative
Solutions https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/report/global-chemicals-outlook-iilegacies-innovative-solutions• UN Environment 2018 Annual Reporthttps://www.unenvironment.org/resources/un-environment-2018-annual-report• Global Mercury Assessment 2018https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27579/GMA2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y• ENVIRONMENTAL RULE OF LAW
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27279/Environmental_r
ule_of_law.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y34

Addendum – UN Basics

35

UN Staff Rules• Appointment and Promotion• Salary rules• Staff performance review, fair treatment rules andprocedures.
• ..
• ..
• Staff Association – personal experiences as
President

36Basics of UN Staffing System• Staff Ranks• United Nations Secretary-General (UN SG)• United Nations Deputy-Secretary-General (UN DSG)
• United Nations Under-Secretary-General (UN USG)
• United Nations Assistant-Secretary-General (UN ASG)
• Director (D-2)• Director (D-1)• Professional Officers (P-5, P-4 . . . P-1)
• Administrative Officers (G-5, …. G-1)
• Short-term officers, consultants, project contributors.
• Interns, UN volunteers, Junior Professional Officers.
37

Japan Association for UNEP

2015年4月一般社団法人として活動を開始。
代表理事： 鈴木基之 東大名誉教授
協会ウェブサイト： http://www.j-unep.jp/
UNEP出版物サマリーページ:
http://www.j-unep.jp/publications
日本UNEP協会 - Google Play の Android アプリ
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.tegaraashi.Appcooking322
38

In December 2016, a team of JAU
visited UNEP Headquaters

2016年12月、於 ナイロビ。
（UNEP側）Erik Solheim 事務局長、Ibrahim Thiaw 事務局次長、
Jorge Laguna-Celis理事会等書記など（協会側）鈴木代表理事、宮内理事、平石理事

39Taka Hiraishi•Born in Tokyo on 3rd December 1944.
•B.Sc. (1966) and M.Sc.(1968) for Industrial Chemistry from Tokyo University.
•Joined Ministry of Labour (Occupational Health and Safety Department) in April 1968.
•Moved to the newly-established Environment Agency in 1971 and, till 1996, worked in the fields of offensive odour, acid rain, ozone layer,
hazardous wastes, hazardous chemicals and water pollution, except the overseas posting shown below.
•1987-1989: Director, Water Pollution Control Division, Environment Agency (current Ministry of the Environment) (1987-89)
Overseas posting:•1975-1978: Environment Attache (liaison with UNEP) and Second Secretary for bilateral technical co-operation (for Kenya, Uganda andMalawi) at the Embassy of Japan in Kenya.
•1980-1982: Principal Administrator (A-4, information exchange on chemicals control policies, including chemicals management policies indeveloping countries), Chemicals Division, Environment Directorate, OECD Secretariat.
•1989-1998: Worked for UNEP as (consecutively);Co-ordinator of Support Measures, Programme Bureau (D-1),
Officer-in-Charge, Environmental Law and Institutions Centre,Deputy Director of Policy Division,
Deputy Director of Environment Programme Division,
Assistant Executive Director for Environmental Information and Assessment (D-2).
(President, UNEP Staff Association (in 1996))
More recently,•1999-2006: Visiting Principal Researcher, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan.
•1999-2015: Member, IPCC Bureau and Co-chair, IPCC Inventories Task Force Bureau•1999-2015: Senior Consultant, and Member, Board of Directors, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan (Part-time),•February-April 2001: Special Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, Japan (Chair of Communique Drafting Group for G-7 Environment
Ministers).
•2002-2010: Special Advisor to the Minister of the Environment, Japan. (on OECD sustainable development activities, Part-time)•2005-2009: Specially assigned Professor (Risk Management and Global Environmental Issues), Osaka University, Japan (Part-time)•Vising Lecturer for Tokyo Institute of Technologies, Sophia University, Gakushuin University, Osaka University, Atomi University.
•2001- : Contributed to the work of the Ministry of the Environment in Japan for CDM, J-VER, JCM, adaptation and “co-benefits”•2002-2011: UNFCCC, member of CGE (Consultative Group on non-Annex-I national communications).
•2004-2008: UNFCCC, member of EGTT (Expert Group on Technology Transfer)
Currently:•Counsellor, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan (Volunteer),•Advisor, Board of Directors, Japan Association for UNEP (NPO) (Volunteer)