World Wetlands Day 2022

On 2 February 2022, the UNU Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), Wetlands International Japan, and the Global Environment Outreach Centre will co-organise an online symposium for World Wetlands Day (WWD) 2022. The theme of WWD 2022 is “Wetlands Action for People and Nature”, focusing on ways to encourage preservation and sustainable use of wetlands.

Celebrated every year on 2 February, WWD marks the date of the 1971 adoption of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. 2022 is the first year that WWD will be observed as a United Nations International Day.

Programme

18:00–18:10 Opening remarks

• Shinobu Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS)

18:10–18:20 Ramsar Convention Updates

• Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Department for the Wildlife Protection (TBD): The 2021 global outlook on wetlands and the newly designated Ramsar Site in Japan

18:20–18:40 Keynote Speech

• Kathryn Bimson (Programme Coordinator, Water and Wetlands, IUCN Union for Conservation of Nature Asia Regional Office): Wise use of wetlands as nature-based solutions

18:40–19:40 Presentations

• Yuki Arai (Assistant Professor, Research Center for Social Systems, Shinshu University): Cases studies from abroad: building societies which protect wetlands 
• Mio Ejima (Promotion Office of the Ramsar Convention for Kashima City): Building a harmonious relationship between the environment and industries: a fruitful collaboration of diverse actors 
• Makiko Yanagiya (Programme Coordinator, UNU-IAS): UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: steps ahead to restore our waterscapes and seascapes and build a sustainable society  

19:40–19:55 Q&A

19:55–20:00 Closing

Registration

Please register in advance using the online registration form. The number of participants is limited.

Language

This event will be held in English and Japanese, with simultaneous interpretation provided.