Venue: Yokohama National University, Yokohama, and Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
The Yokohama National University – UNESCO Chair (EBRoSS) will hold the International Conference on “Blue Carbon Ecosystems for Sustainable Development with Special Emphasis to Mangrove Ecosystems” on January 11-13, 2023, in collaboration with the UNESCO New Delhi Office and the International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems (ISME).
Saline ecosystems are blue carbon ecosystems, many of them with high productivity rates and of major global importance for carbon sequestration and accumulation of organic matter in the soil. They are of tremendous value toward the utilization of high-salinity water, such as seawater, as well as hyper-saline soils, and salt-tolerant biota for the production of biomass, for food, feed, fiber, fuel, other economic purposes, and carbon sequestration. In order to achieve the 17 United Nations Sustainability Goals, the scientific research into blue carbon ecosystems is an absolutely important element. Moreover, monitoring is needed, as well as the conservation of the remaining blue carbon ecosystems, and the restoration of lost habitat.
The organizers of this Conference would like to generate new scientific knowledge on Blue Carbon Ecosystems and their components, with a special view to halophytes and salinity and in particular with mangroves. After this conference, the contributions will be published in the first volume of a book series that will provide comprehensive scientific documentation inspiring the way forward on how to utilize saline resources in the best interest of humanity. Please participate this conference!
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Conference Schedule (to be updated)
11th January 2023: Venue: Yokohama National University, Building S7-5, ‘Junko Nakanishi Memorial Room’, room 316.
10:00 Opening remarks. By Prof. Izuru Umehara (President, YNU)
10:05 Congratulatory addresses:
10:10 UNESCO Beijing Office. By Dr. Shahbaz Khan
10:15 Kanagawa Prefecture, by Mr. Yoshiyuki Makino,
10:20 Prof. Masato Nobutoki’s idea on Local actions on blue carbon ecosystem restoration in Yokohama and introduction of Japan Blue Economy Association. By Prof. Hiroyuki Matsuda, Yokohama National University (YNU)
10:25 Break
10:45 Definition of Blue Carbon Ecosystems. By Prof. Ryo Kohsaka, University of Tokyo
11:10 Carbon Sequestration in Mangroves at a Global Level. Dr. Tomomi Inoue, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
11:30 Blue Carbon Ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific Region. By Dr. Shahbaz Khan, Director UNESCO Beijing Office
11:50 The role of high-salinity-levels for blue carbon ecosystems. By Prof. Bilquees Gul, Institute for Sustainable Halophyte Utilization (ISHU), Karachi, Pakistan
12:10 Lunch
13:30 A Desirable Framework for Creating a Carbon-Neutral Society. By Prof. Dai-Yeun Jeong, Asia Climate Change Education Center, Jeju Island, Ro Korea
14:00 Sabhka Ecosystems of the World. By Dr. Abdul Hameed, ISHU, Pakistan
14:15 Quantifying the potential of carbon sequestration in Blue Carbon ecosystems. By Dr. Martin Zimmer, Leibniz-Centre for Martine Tropical Research (ZMT) and University of Bremen, Germany
14:35 Collaboration with the UNESCO Chair in Portugal. By Dr. Antonio Abreu, UNESCO Chair on Biodiversity Safeguard for Sustainable Development, University of Coimbra, Portugal
14:55 Break
15:15 Collaboration with the UNESCO Chair on South-South Cooperation for Sustainable Development in Brazil: Blue Carbon Ecosystems in Coastal Amazonia. By Prof. Luis Aragon, Centre for Amazonian Studies (NAEA), University of Belem, Brazil
15:35 Blue Carbon Systems and Mangroves in Australia. By Dr. Tom Espinoza, Great Sandy Biosphere Reserve, Queensland, Australia
15:50 Expectations for Japanese BRs and EBRoSS (UNESCO Chair at YNU). By Prof. Hiroyuki Matsuda, YNU
16:05 Discussion. Facilitated by Prof. Miguel Clüsener Godt, YNU
16:35 End of the first day
18:00 Dinner
12th January 2023: Venue: Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
10:00 Short summary of the first day. By Prof. Miguel Clüsener Godt, YNU
10:05 Floating Mangroves, a new alternative for carbon sequestration. By Dr. Benno Böer, UNESCO Delhi Office, India
10:20 Blue Carbon Systems and Mangroves in Japan. By Prof. Kiyoshi Fujimoto, Nanzan University, Nagoya, Japan
10:40 Blue Carbon Systems and Mangroves in Malaysia. By Dr. Waseem Razzaq Khan, University Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus
11:00 Blue Carbon Systems and Mangroves in China. By (tbd)
11:20 Break
11:40 The 30 by 30 challenge and the MAB Programme. By Prof. Miguel Clüsener-Godt, YNU
12:00 Future perspectives of the MAB Programme in relation to blue carbon ecosystems and mangroves. By Dr. Benno Böer, UNESCO Delhi Office
12:20 Lunch
13:50 Promoting tri-party collaboration trough the conservation of mangrove ecosystems of Fonseca Bay in Central America. By Dr. Motohiro Hasegawa, JICA, Japan
14:10 ITTO’s Cooperation on Blue Carbon Ecosystems. By Dr. Tetra Yanuariadi, ITTO, Yokohama
14:30 ISME’s Work on Blue Carbon Ecosystems. By Prof. Shigeyuki Baba, ISME, Okinawa
14:50 Sharkfin Bay Project in the Palawan Biosphere Reserve in the Philippines. By Dr. Frederic Tardieu – Sulubaai Foundation, Pantagalan, The Philippines
15:10 Private Sector Financing in research of Blue Carbon, the case of ARAMCO. By Dr. Ronald Loughland, Riyad, Saudi Arabia
15:30 Blue Carbon and Peatland Ecosystems. By Prof. Hans Joosten, University of Greifswald, Germany
15:50 Introduction to the Visit of the Aquarium in Yokohama. by Prof. Hiroyuki Matsuda, YNU
16:00 Break
16:30 Discussion of second day. Facilitated by Prof. Miguel Clüsener-Godt, YNU
17:00 Conclusion remarks of the conference. By Prof. Bilquees Gul, ISHU
17:05 Closing remarks. By Prof. Hiromi Kabashima, Vice-President, YNU
17:10 End of second day
18:00 Dinner
13th January 2023: Venue: Hakkeijima Sea Paradise
10:00 Visit to Aquarium in Yokohama and Yokohama Blue Carbon Initiative
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Continuation of the visit
17:00 End of visit, debriefing
18:30 Dinner