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April 10.2021 KIP Forum "Gathering with G7 Youth Summit Japan Representatives for the 2021 Summit Meeting"
Mr. Tetsu Watanabe, Ms. Manae Saza, Ms Emiri Morita
April Forum was held. This time, we invited Mr. Tetsu Watanabe (Y7), Ms. Emiri Morita(Y20) and Ms. Mana Saza to talk about the relationship between environmental issues and young people in the world. After a question-and-answer session and a general discussion on crisis management, resource utilization, and greenhouse gas reduction, we had a debate on the theme of "Should reduce vending machines be reduced in Japan?
Mr. Tetsu Watanabe, Ms. Manae Saza, Ms Emiri Morita
Profile:
Mr. Tetsu Watanabe：Working for a management consulting firm in Japan, supporting companies in sustainability and studying climate change in Asia. In Y7, he is in charge of the Climate Change and Environment track.
Ms. Emiri Morita: A member of Y20 Japan, in charge of the Sustainability, Climate and Energy track, studying in Princeton University, Department of Economics.
Ms. Mana Saza: A global coordinator of Mock COP26, in charge of managing the 51 countries in Asia and the global conference of Mock COP26 to discuss climate change.
This forum proceeded differently than usual. In the former half, we talked with the speakers, and in the latter half, we KIP members alone had a discussion.
Speech Summary
【Presentation】
In the first half of the forum, the three speakers gave comprehensive talks on the link between youth and environmental issues in Japan and the world. First, Mr. Watanabe explained what percentage of Japanese youths are interested in environmental issues and what measures they think are effective, based on their questionnaire. Next, Ms. Saza reported on the problem that young people, expected to directly affected by environmental issues, have little presence in determining the directions of the international affairs. This was why the Mock COP26 have engaged in lobbying activities as a solution to this problem. Also, she expressed concerns on Japan's problems in tackling environmental issues, such as the lack of cooperation with other countries.
【Q＆A Session】
We had a fact-finding session on the effects of microplastics on the human body and the concentration and reduction of chemicals absorbed into living organisms, as well as discussions on the instability of renewable energy supplies, whether the environment and the economy are synergistic in terms of costs, and the issue on skepticism about the anthropogenic nature of climate change.
【Group Discussion①＆Ground Discussion】
Small group discussions were held based on the knowledge. In our group, we had a discussion as follows: The current problem in Japan is that we are not aware of global environmental issues as our own, and are only slightly concerned about abnormal weather in our country. In order to improve this situation, it is necessary to increase the awareness towards the environment through education, media coverage and public-private partnerships. Also, the government should share a clear vision for solving environmental problems with the public by taking advantage of its strong leadership, and to work closely with businesses by offering them economic incentives and requesting their cooperation. The introduction of an environmental tax and the acceptance of environmental refugees into Japan were also concrete measures to change the mindset of "other people" and contribute to solving global environmental problems.
In the ground discussion, we exchanged our thoughts about the solutions, such as the introduction of a carbon tax, the need to raise the awareness of young people and to spread environmental awareness not only to the central government but also to every people. Lastly, the lectures pointed out that while developed countries such as the G7 are expected to play a central role in implementing these measures, the economic protection of those who are currently engaged in jobs such as fuel mining in developing countries should not be forgotten in carrying out the steps.
【Group Discussion②＆Ground Discussion】
In the latter half of the forum, KIP members alone discussed, "Should vending machines be reduced?”. Our group started from how much we use vending machines on a daily basis. After considering the advantages from the company's side, such as increased marketing opportunities, we tried to weigh them against the disadvantages, such as the large amount of electricity consumed by vending machines, the fact that vending machines are a disincentive to solving the garbage problems and reducing the number of plastic bottles, that they already consume a large amount of resources when they are manufactured, and that the number of vending machines is saturated in urban areas. As a result, we came to the conclusion that we should take measures to differentiate between urban areas, where the disadvantages are more obvious, and rural areas, where the advantages are more obvious. To be more specific, we agreed on drastically reducing the number of vending machines in urban areas, but not so much in rural areas. Considering the solution on how to reduce them, we came up with an idea to set a distance limit between vending machines in the cities.
In the open discussion, we had a heated debate focusing on whether to accept plastic bottles sold in vending machines. A participant proposed to use recyclable aluminum cans instead of plastic bottles. Then we discussed how to carry out the proposal, such as by targeting cities with a large crowd of young people, and promoting the purchase of the cans with the help of influencers. Others also mentioned the raising awareness of CSR and ESG investment on the part of companies.
【What I thought through the Forum】
Through the forum, I realized how little I knew about and was aware of the environment. I also realized that I must not turn my back on the crises that are sure to come in the long run and that are already emerging in other regions, even if I would not be affected by them immediately. In addition, as a group of people who aspire to have a great knowledge of Japan and an international mindset, I strongly recognized the necessity to regard international issues as our own, think of solutions, and try to do our best. In addition, when trying to solve problems, not only environmental problems but also other issues, it is important to understand that even if an issue is solved by a measure, some groups (in the case of environmental problems, fuel resource miners, developing countries with severe economic conditions, etc.) might face new problems in turn. I was reminded once again of the complexity of problem solving, such as the need to carefully consider the practical aspects of who will and how to implement the theoretical solutions.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Watanabe, Ms. Saza and Ms. Morita for taking time to interact with KIP members.
(Misuzu Yokota, University of Tokyo, Law, 3rd year)