2022.11.11 FRI

17:00 - 18:30

All-Japan efforts to manage tropical forests and peatlands sustainably and to establish international rules of their monitoring methods

Organizer

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Co-organizer

IHI Corporation
Sumitomo Forestry, Co., Ltd.

Seminar abstract

Currently, tropical forests and peatlands are not properly valued, due to a lack of accurate assessment and evaluation of carbon sequestering potential. As a result, forest-derived carbon credits are underpriced, despite the growing danger of overexploitation and resulting CO₂ emissions.
In 2021, Sumitomo Forestry and IHI launched a collaborative project called "NeXT FOREST" to contribute to climate change issues as well as to solve these issues by bringing Japan's state-of-the-art technologies. In 2022, a joint venture company is going to be established to accelerate the project in earnest. Our business aims to spread accurate observation methods and forest management technologies worldwide. These methods and technologies will also be disseminated to the world in the form of academic papers and books. The company also aims to realize "Carbon Negative" through the reduction of CO₂ emissions from peatlands and maximization of the values of forests as carbon sinks. These methods and technologies will also be disseminated to the world in the form of academic papers and books. The company aims to realize "Carbon Negative" through the reduction of CO₂ emissions from peatlands and maximization of the values of forests as carbon sinks.
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) is providing full support for this initiative in the development of a monitoring method that utilizes state-of-the-art multi-wavelength sensors and small and large satellite constellations. In order to realize internationalization, we will work on "All Japan".
This seminar will introduce the efforts, knowledge, and technologies of METI, Sumitomo Forestry, and IHI. Also, the panelists who are pioneers of industry, government, and academia will discuss climate change actions through the use of the satellite observation data and the conservation and management of tropical forests and peatlands to send a message about the importance of these efforts to all over the world.

Speakers

• Mitsuru Osaki（Hokkaido University） Professor Emeritus
• Kento Tomiyama（IHI Corporation） Staff
• Yoshihisa Yamanouchi（IHI Corporation） General Manager
• Niken Andika Putri（Forest Carbon Sink Department, Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.） Staff
• Riona Shimazaki（Forest Carbon Sink Department, Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.） Staff

Session Summary

Under the moderation of Niken Andika Putri, a staff of Sumitomo Forestry, Professor Emeritus Osaki of Hokkaido University strongly explained that in order to achieve the goal of Carbon Negative (i.e., more CO2 is absorbed than emitted, the concept beyond carbon neutral), it is important to promote nature-based solutions that utilize the characteristics and benefits of forests, such as carbon absorption and fixation, and water and nutrient cycling. In conclusion, he proposed “Forest CoCycle Society in Tropics” in which natureal resources such as forests and sunlight are effectively utilized and coexist in the tropics. Ms. Shimazaki of Sumitomo Forestry introduced the lack of data on forests and peatlands in Africa and other tropical countries, and the current situation that the loss of forests and peatlands and the impacts of their loss have been underestimated. She also stated that a new method to analyze and verify data with high accuracy, low cost, and in real time by combining ground data and remote sensing is required to solve the problems. Lastly, she introduced the Sumitomo Forestry Group’s knowledge and experience in landscape management in West Kalimantan, Indonesia to maximize the value of natural capital.
Mr. Tomiyama of IHI introduced its 4 Business area. Resources, Energy & Environment Business Area is approaching Carbon Nutral by using Ammonia & Hydrogyn Fuel for energy sector. Social Infrastructure & Offshore Facilities Business Area is realizing disaster prevention by Bridge and Water gate dum infrastructure. Industrial Systems & General-Purpose Machinery Business Area is approaching Carbon Nutral by such as factory energy saving. Aero Engine, Space & Defense Business Area is providing space utilization technology, ground truth environment measurement technology, and mid-long term wether forcasting technology to support effective Forest Management. Mr. Yamanouchi of IHI introduced NeXT（Negative emmission eXpert Technology）for FOREST project which is started with IHI and Sumitomo Forestry mutual collaboration. NeXT FOREST will realize carbon negative society by using convination of ground truth, UAV, and Satellight remote sensing environmental data to provide Efficient, High resolution, Realtime analisys for Stock-base cannal type Forest Management.

Message and Results

The session was attended by audiences from a variety of countries and stakeholders. Participants from a country with tropical peatlands asked questions about specific ways to apply Nature-based Solutions to the country, indicating a high interest from interational society in the sustainable management and utilization of forests and peatlands. Sumitomo Forestry and IHI will accelerate collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and other ministries, international organizations, and academia to contribute to climate change action through sustainable forest and peatland management.