On 9 October 2026 UNU-IAS will co-host a special event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC). It will provide an overview of GEOC’s role and evolution over the past 30 years and discuss the future direction of multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Participation & Registration
This event will be held at the 2F Reception Hall of the UNU Headquarters in Tokyo and online. To participate, please register by 2 October.
Please note that participants in UNU events may appear in photography, screen captures, videos and/or audio (see disclaimer).
Language
Please note that this event will be held in Japanese only, with no interpretation provided.
Programme
14:00–14:10 Opening Remarks
- Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS)
- Representative from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ)
14:10–14:20 Introduction: Overview of GEOC and Its 30-Year History
- Kensuke Eguchi (GEOC)
14:20–14:50 Keynote: Role of Environmental Partnerships in the Current Global Context
- Kazuhiko Takeuchi (President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Project Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo; Visiting Professor, UNU-IAS)
14:50–15:50 Panel Presentation: The Future of GEOC as a Hub for Environmental Partnerships
- Tsuneo Takeuchi (Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University)
- Kastuhiko Sawa (Representative Director of Kyushu Environmental Community Development)
- Cosmo Takagi (Associate Professor, The University of Kitakyushu)
- Kiyo Kawabuchi (Director General, Media and Public Relations, JICA; Director, JICA Global Plaza)
15:50–16:00 Break
16:00–16:50 Discussion: 30 Years of Environmental Partnerships and Beyond
- Tsuneo Takeuchi (Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University)
- Kastuhiko Sawa (Representative Director of Kyushu Environmental Community Development)
- Cosmo Takagi (Associate Professor, The University of Kitakyushu)
- Kiyo Kawabuchi (Director General, Media and Public Relations, JICA; Director, JICA Global Plaza)
- Tomoko Uetake (Director, Environmental Partnership Office, MOEJ)
- Kensuke Eguchi (GEOC）
16:50–17:00 Summary and Closing
- Kazuhiko Takeuchi (President, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES); Project Professor, Institute for Future Initiatives, the University of Tokyo; Visiting Professor, UNU-IAS)
Organizers
This event will be co-organized by UNU-IAS, the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ), Global Environment Outreach Center (GEOC).
Background
GEOC was established in October 1996 as a joint initiative of MOEJ and UNU. Located on the first floor of the UNU Headquarters in Tokyo, GEOC has been operating as a hub for sharing information, facilitating dialogue among diverse stakeholders and fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships toward a sustainable society.
