## 4 Forming New Values for the Sustainable Development of the Environment and Economy

The leaders of the group of eight (G8) nations issued their declaration at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit held in July 2008, that all Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to seek to share and adopt a declaration with respect to the long-term goal of achieving at least 50% reduction of global $ CO_{2} $ emissions by 2050. The Former Kenyan Deputy Environment Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Wangari Maathai, propounded "MOTTAINAI" around the world as a slogan, and global activities aiming to build a sustainable sound material-cycle society are developing through campaigns. The 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10) is scheduled to be held in the city of Nagoya, Aichi prefecture in 2010. Japan will propose a model where the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources can coexist, under the name of Japan's Satoyama as the "SATOYAMA Initiative," to the world. Meanwhile, Japan needs to take steps based on a precautionary approach depending on the situation, regarding issues such as global warming that could cause irreparable damages for the future generations once they occur.

Thus, in order to lead a healthy and affluent life while developing a good balance between the conservation of the environment and the economy, sharing common goals including the prevention of global warming, the creation of a sound material-cycle society and coexistence with nature are essential. These essential common goals have now raised the awareness of the individual as well as a global movement.

## The Japanese Crested Ibis (Toki) Returning to the Wild

Ten Japanese Crested Ibises were released into the wild on Sado Island, Niigata prefecture in September 25, 2008. This was the first time in 27 years for them to fly in the Japanese sky since the last surviving wild ibises were captured in 1981.

Although the Japanese Crested Ibis was very common nationwide in the Edo period (1603-1867), its numbers decreased sharply due to hunting and other factors. In 1981, the last five Ibises were captured and the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center has attempted to artificially breed them. In 1999, the Center has succeeded in artificially breeding the Ibises for the first time with Ibises donated by China, and now its numbers have increased to over 100.

On Sado Island, Niigata prefecture, administrative bodies, farmers, universities and

Their Imperial Highness Prince and Princess Akishino

releasing the Japanese Crested Ibis

NGOs have been building Environmentally-Friendly Farming and feeding grounds through their collaboration and cooperation while making efforts towards consensus-building, in order to create an environment where the Ibises can safely inhabit, aiming to settle 60 Ibises or so, by around 2015. Some of the released birds have flown to Honshu—the main island of Japan, traveling widely and some others have returned to Sado Island after flying to Honshu. While watching over these movements of the Ibises, the Ministry of the Environment is gathering information on their ecological features through monitoring. The Reintroduction Center is also carrying on re-introduction training so that the Japanese Crested Ibises in captivity can independently coexist in the nature.

Japanese Crested Ibis pecking food in a rice field