[Experiences with nature]

should be taken by individual financial institutions. Signing of the action principles is scheduled to begin in 2011 after formulation of guidelines for each type of business. It is anticipated that a wide variety of financial institutions of various sectors and scales will participate in these action principles and that they will serve as a base for discussion about environmental finance in Japan in the future.

### 4. Education: the Foundation of the Wisdom that Contributes to Development of a Sustainable Society

## (1) Development of People and Solution of Environmental Problems

From an international standard, Japan has fewer students pursuing doctoral programs than in other countries. There are 75,000 students pursuing doctoral programs in Japan, significantly less than the approximately 530,000 in the EU and the approximately 460,000 in the United States. However, in order to solve environmental problems it is necessary to have people with advanced expert knowledge and broad perspectives to conduct research and development, and disseminate new technologies aimed at creating a sustainable society. In addition, in order to achieve a green economy in a green society, including various sectors such as companies, government, and NGOs, it is also necessary to have "T-shaped" human resources that have a vertical axis of knowledge in specialized fields such as law, economics, or engineering, and a horizontal axis of cross-sector knowledge about the environment and sustainability, with a bird's-eye perspective.

Various efforts are being made to cultivate the “T-shaped” human resources in environmental fields in

Figure 4-1-15 Relationship between “Experience with Plants and Animals” and “Sense of Coexistence”

[Experience with plants and animals]

• Grew rice or vegetables

• Grew flowers

• Took care of a living thing such as a pet

• Caught insects such as butterflies, dragonflies, or locusts

• Watched wild birds or listened to their chirping

[Sense of coexistence]

• Likes to spend days off in natural environments

• Likes to visit places such as zoos and aquariums

• Feels bad listening to about people’s unhappy experiences

• Feels happy when learning about a friend’s very happy experience

• Worries about people who are ignored by others

Source: National Institution for Youth Education’s “Research on the State of Youth Experiential Activities”

Japan. For example, in order to develop the environmental human resources envisioned in the “Vision for Environmental Leadership Initiatives for Asian Sustainability” the Ministry of the Environment has been supporting establishment in March 2011 of a consortium to develop environmental human resources by industry-academia-government collaboration including universities, corporations, NGOs. The consortium was established in March 2011, and the Ministry of the Environment is planning to collaborate with the consortium in the future. In addition, with the aim of creating a network of Asian graduate schools that are working to develop environmental human resources, the Ministry of the Environment collaborated with the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies and launched a network commonly known as ProSPER.NET in 2008. The purpose of this effort is to integrate education and research about sustainability in education and research at the graduate school level. As of March 2011, the members include 21 higher education institutions in Japan, China, South Korea, ASEAN countries, India, and Australia.

Figure 4-1-16 Relationship between “Experiences with Nature” and “Communication Skills”

• Caught shellfish or fish in the ocean or rivers

• Swam in the ocean or rivers

• Watched the sun rise or set

• Looked at a night sky full of glittering stars

• Drank water from a spring or river

[Communication skills]

• Can introduce oneself in front of people without feeling nervous

• Can get friends who have had a fight to make up

• Can greet people in the neighborhood

• Can talk with people soon after meeting them for the first time

• Frequently asked by friends for advice

Source: National Institution for Youth Education’s “Research on the State of Youth Experiential Activities”