Event

Nature-Positive Solutions: Kanazawa’s Model for Climate Action and Sustainable Urban Nature

UNU-IAS will hold a symposium on nature-based solutions to environmental challenges to examine COP27 and COP15 and efforts in Kanazawa, Japan

Time
- Asia/Tokyo
Address
Kanazawa Bunka Hall Takaokamachi 15−1 Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture Japan

UNU-IAS will organise a symposium to discuss nature-based solutions to environmental challenges from global and local perspectives, focusing on biodiversity restoration and urban climate policy. The event will examine the outcomes of the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) and the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15), as well as sustainability efforts in Kanazawa City, Japan to highlight the benefits of urban nature. It will also discuss the challenges and opportunities for youth and adults to join forces and work together for a more sustainable future.

Participation & Registration

Participation is open, but please register in advance. This event will be held in the Main Conference Room of the Kanazawa Culture Hall in Kanazawa, Japan.

Please note that participants in UNU events may appear in photography, screen captures, videos, and/or audio. For further information please refer to Events.

Language

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

Programme

13:30 Opening Remarks

13:35 Greetings from Kanazawa City

13:40 Keynote Presentation 1

  • Kazuhiko Takeuchi (Director, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies): Global Agenda and Local Implementation

14:00 Keynote Presentation 2

  • Thomas Elmqvist (Professor, Stockholm Resilience Center ): New Trends in Urban Ecosystem Services

14:20–14:35 Break

14:35–15:55 Panelist Presentations & Discussion

Moderator: Tsunao Watanabe

  • Himangana Gupta (Research Fellow and Academic Associate, UNU-IAS): COPs Review and Nature-based Solutions
  • Juan Pastor-Ivars (Research Associate, UNU-IAS): SUN Project and Urban Nature Benefits
  • Motofumi Marui (Professor, Kanazawa Institute of Technology): Heat Island Mitigation through Urban Nature
  • Mana Saza (Director, SWiTCH Association of Sustainability): Action by Japanese Youth to Create a Wave for Sustainability in Japan

15:55 Closing Remarks

  • Koji Nakamura (Professor Emeritus, Kanazawa University)

Flyer

Please refer to the event flyer for further details.

Related content

Book

The Climate, Migration and Health Nexus - Opportunities for Interregional Cooperation

This open-access book looks at the role of regional governance and interregional cooperation in the climate change-health-migration nexus.

22 Mar 2026

News

Exploring Colombia's Paramo One Molecule at a Time

Emerson Arciniegas’ fellowship underscores the role of conserved páramo biodiversity in advancing international antimicrobial research

19 Mar 2026

News

From Host to Holobiont: Closing the Microbiome Gap in Crop Improvement

Benyi Marin is advancing nitrogen fixation by designing resilient legume nodule microbiomes that align plant breeding with microbial function.

25 Mar 2026