お知らせ News

【平成27年度履修生募集】説明会のお知らせ

2015年4月3日 10時28分

自然保護寄附講座、平成27年度説明会の日程が決定いたしました。
自然保護寄附講座の履修をご検討中の方や、少しでも興味のある方は、是非ご参加下さい。
ご不明な点がありましたら、お気軽にご連絡下さい。

絵文字:鉛筆説明会開催日程絵文字:鉛筆
①日時:2015年4月9日(木)10:10~11:10
  場所:春日プラザ3階セミナー室
②日時:2015年4月13日(月)17:00~18:00
  場所:総合研究棟A111号室
※①、②とも内容は同じです。どちらか都合のよい日時・場所の方をお選び下さい。
※説明会は自由参加です。予約などは必要ありません。




事務局 遠藤

【レポート】International Cooperation for Environment

2015年3月30日 10時36分



1.Through this course, Mr. David Sheppard fully introduced the nature conservation, which is represented by World Heritage Convention.
First, he introduced general information about the nature conservation, current challenges to natural environment, and many frame works international conventions such as CBD, Ramsar, and so on.
Second, he argued the situation of the SPREP, as a case study of the regional framework and activities for the nature conservation, also pointed out what is the main challenges in the real situation of the nature conservation and how to maintain the framework with budgets and human resources.
Third, he told about World Heritage Convention. He told the relations between WHC and other framework conventions, and pointed out WH sites were the best practice of the nature conservation in the world which could make a good influences to other sites belongs to other levels or other frameworks. He also introduced the role of IUCN on the WHC, especially for the evaluation process of the candidate sites.
Finally, he introduced the implementation of the operational guidelines through the argument of the subscription on the list and the list in danger. He showed many examples such as Shiretoko(Japan), Sichuan Panda Sanctuary(China), Kakadu(Australia), Galapagos(Ecuador)  and pointed out the importance of the role of community, the rigorous evaluation process, the scientific studies, the organization of the management plan, and also the role of state parties
The content was totally supported by his own experience and activities, so the lecture was quite attractive and powerful. I could understand the real situation of the nature conservation with feeling.
 
2.I am an archaeologist and expert staff of a regional government for the conservation of the cultural properties. At the end of this class, I noticed that the conservation for the natural properties and cultural properties has same challenges and it is quite difficult to conquer only the effort by the professionals committing to the conservation activities in the framework of WH convention and other related conventions.
Many challenges in the context of WH sites are caused by the government “will”. Government has many functions which lead the society and the residents better such as education, welfare, security, and identity for their land. But after the beginning of 21st century, the function is only emphasized on the economic development, any other policies are judged by the point of view of the contribution to the economic development.
For example, now I am working in a site museum set by the regional government, which has the function for the both of guidance facility for the visitors and the center of the investigation about this archaeological site. So the mission of our museum is to conserve the site properly based on the scientific studies and is to enrich the life of local people and visitors in the emotional aspect which contribute the formation of their identity and mutual understanding of the culture. But the governor only concerns the amount of the visitors especially for the payment of the entrance fee. They only orders the increasing of the number of the visitors, and don’t assign the budget for investigation and conservation.
Take another example, our region has a WH property, and I am a former property manager of it. Our region (prefecture) has 6 local government related with the property, but in the local government has no expert staff even in 10years later subscription on the WH list. The implementation of the conservation should be done by the regional government substitute for the local government, but the department for the conservation of regional government faces the shortage of the budget. Only 300,000JPY(2500US$) has been assigned for the conservation each year, which is exhausted only 10times trip to Tokyo by Shinkansen, while 30,000,000JPY for the department of “the use of the WH for tourism” for each year.
These decision, or government “will”, are quite similar to the state party’s behavior on the WH committee, they only need the name of WH for the economic development, and never pay attention for the various value of the natural and cultural properties which is actually straightly connect with the happiness of the people. Many studies have already revealed that the money can not lead the people happy. Steak holders should be aware of this fact.

3.Communication between professionals and local people is crucially important on the sustainable management for the natural and the cultural properties. Shiretoko is a good example for the cooperation and formed great management plan through the dialogue. But I wonder such great relationship can last or not. At the very beginning of the forming management plan or at the process of the nomination for the WH, because the goal is quite clear, many groups can cooperate. But after the subscription, their passion gradually may reduce and may start to dissatisfied gradually.
Our region has the annual meeting which is consist of all people concerned with WH property. 10years ago, when the property had not yet subscribed or had just subscribed, people decide the management plan of this property which not only apply on the core zone but also on the citizens' campaigns around the properties. They had passion to make the entire society better thorough the WH movement. 10years later, I became a expert staff of the regional government, the meeting had already lost its passion. The attendee of the meeting is only a few people such as the volunteer for the conservation on core zone, tour guides, and government officials. On that meeting, I made a presentation what we have to do next decade, suggested the new idea for sustainable happiness for local people and for visitors. But surprisingly at the meeting I was criticized by a coordinator as the government pays no effort for the conservation. People regarded me not as a expert of the conservation of the property but as a represent of the regional government. There were no constructive argument, the suggestion was abandoned, therefore we didn’t have any progress at that meeting. After this meeting I started the activity voluntarily to realize my new idea apart from the job as a “government official”. The activity was successfully got many advocates and participants including volunteers of the local people, guides, and local government officials. Government officials and mass media invite me for the lecture of my new idea and willingly cooperate for the activity.   
From this case, we can understand the difficulty of the dialogue between government and local people. The government is not a partner of the local people but the kind of “hostile”. For the local people, the government is a subject they demand something. Through this experience, I started to wonder the role of government on the context of the conservation. Should the expert staff be in the government? Should the conservation department belong to the government? Can the government really play the roll of the conservation not only the regional level but also national, international level? I suppose it is time to rethink the roll of the government.

4.WH movement has already proved the important ideas in many aspects through the exploring for the better conservation. One is the way of the evaluation of one site, which requires the scientific and careful investigation. Second is the importance of the indigenous people and its knowledge. Third is the close relationship between nature and culture, which we can not treat separately. Forth, the dialogue between many level and groups are important. Those treatment for better conservation have been gradually recognized through the WH movement proceeding, and these are apart from the economical benefit. WH movement needs the financial support, but it does not mean WH movement aims the economical benefit.
For example, China patiently improved their situation for the protection of the panda, struggled for 20 years, and finally it is subscribed on the WH list. Ecuador eager to preserve Galapagos islands environment and ask for help to the international community, asked that Galapagos should be listed in the WH in Danger. These activities should be praised by the international community, because they did it for the conservation not for the economic benefit.
World heritage, as a best practice of the human-being for the effort of the conservation our natural and cultural properties, should be regarded as an effort for the establishment for the humanity and dignity which we human-being gradually have formed. Our society should not be judged by the amount of economy. Our society should not be discriminated rich or poor. Our society should not be ruled by the large amount of the investment. Economy should not be the criteria to evaluate the society. WH movement can lead the world community change from “economy first” to “happiness first”. The history of the World Heritage indicates the possibility of the wisdom of our human-being.

Reported by Fumihiko Ito, student of the Master’s Programme in World Heritage Studies

インターンシップ相談会が行われました。

2015年2月5日 00時00分
1月28日(水)、自然保護寄附講座生へのインターンシップ相談会が開催されました。
今後インターンシップに参加する、あるいは検討中の皆さんの不安点や疑問点にしっかり答えられる場所を、という趣旨で、今回の相談会が実現され、佐方先生からインターンシップについてのわかりやすい説明が行われました。
事務局・遠藤も参加いたしましたので、レポートしたいと思います!

IMG_1374 (640x480)



学生の皆さんがやはり一番興味を持っていたのは、実際にインターンシップに参加した学生の体験発表でした。

IMG_1378 (640x480)

コウモリ調査に参加した小松さんの発表は、コウモリLOVE絵文字:ハートの小松さんらしいとてもわかりやすく、楽しい発表で、皆さん聞き入っていました。(写真では見にくいのですが、小松さんの持っているポインターの先にはコウモリのシルエットが付いていました!さすがです!)
私も初めてコウモリについて詳しくお話を聞いたのですが、なんとなく暗いイメージだったコウモリも、話を聞き、実際調査の写真をみると、とてもかわいらしい動物で驚きました。
コウモリは絶滅危惧種として指定されている種も多く、保全調査がいかに重要なことなのか、考えさせられました。
とても素晴らしい経験となったようです。

Photo2 (640x480)

福島県にある、NPO法人の活動に参加している山崎さんの発表は、残念ながら講義で出席できなかった山崎さんの代わりに、佐伯先生が発表して下さいました!

NPO法人では、様々な活動を通して人と森が共存できる環境づくりをしています。環境保全だけでなく、「森の学校」と称し、ユニークな活動も多いようです!


こういった様々な組織の中で経験を積むことで、やがて自分の自信となり、将来きっと受講生の皆さんの役に立つことと思います。
授業との兼ね合い、金銭面など、インターンシップについての不安や疑問がある受講生の皆さんは、身近な先生方や、事務局にお気軽にご相談下さい!


事務局 遠藤

第2回NCカフェが開催されます

2015年2月4日 13時30分

第2回NCカフェ(Nature Conservation CAFE)のお知らせ

自然保護寄附講座が主催する、学生向けセミナー、「NCカフェ」の第2回目を開催します。
気取らず、ざっくばらんに、自然保護について考えるとても良い機会です。
下記の通り行いますので、講座外の学生でご興味のある方はお申込下さい。

日 時:2015年2月19日(木)14:30~15:30
場 所:筑波大学第2エリア総合研究棟A 107号室
内 容:筑波大学下田臨海実験センター 和田茂樹先生
     「海の生態系の仕組みと人間活動の影響」

※NCカフェは、自然保護寄附講座に所属する学生を対象としておりますが、
  講座外の学生の参加も歓迎します。
※学外からのお申込は受け付けておりません。ご了承下さい。





上記チラシはこちらからダウンロードいただけます:第2回NCカフェチラシ.pdf

事務局

【レポート】The Role of International Organizations and NGOs for the Environment

2015年1月6日 09時50分

REPORT: The Role of International Organizations and NGOs for the Environment

On 7 and 8 December 2014, the intensive course entitled “The Role of International Organizations and NGOs” was held in Kasuga Plaza, Tsukuba.
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During the two day lecture on the role of international organisations and NGO’s a lot/wide range of information was passed on. Considering that many people have many different interests, this is a good thing, because everyone will find some point of interest within the lectures. As for my own interest, Disaster Risk Reduction was also included. For this short paper I shall start with a synthesis of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its protocols. Afterwards I will shortly address some other points raised during the lecture.

Before fully diving into the lectures a short introduction of the guest lecturer: Dr. Christine von Weizsaecker is needed, Because one needs to understand the lecturer as well as the lecture. Dr. Von Weizsaecker is a German biologist (studied in Freiburg, Köln and Edinburgh), researcher, negotiator, and environmental activist. In the mid-seventies she started working on technology assessment for civil society, and since 1994 she participated in the negotiations of the Convention on Biological Diversity and its supplementary the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.


Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The CBD, informally known as the Biodiversity Convention, is a multilateral treaty with three main goals: Conservation of biological diversity (or biodiversity); sustainable use of its components; and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. It thus aims to develop national strategies regarding conservation and the sustainable use of biological diversity. At the 5th of June 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio the Janeiro the Convention was opened for signature and on the 29th of December 1993 it entered into force.

With the convention it was for the first time in international law that the conservation of biological diversity is “a common concern of humankind”, and it is also an essential part of the development process. The agreement made covers all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. It connects traditional conservation to the economic goal of using biological resources sustainably. It shows and reminds people using natural resources that these resources are not infinite, and need to be used in a sustainable way. In the convention several principals where created for the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits that arise from the use of genetic resources. The convention is legally binding, which means that joined parties are obliged to implement its contents.

What was further mentioned during the lecture was the precautionary principle: where there is a threat of loss of biological diversity, the lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures which avoid or reduce this threat. The Convention acknowledges that substantial investments are required to conserve biological diversity. It argues, however, that conservation will bring us significant environmental, economic and social benefits in return.

The CBD also covers the expanding field of biotechnology which is mentioned in its Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, it addresses technology development and transfer, benefit-sharing and biosafety issues. Dr. von Weizsaecker also thoroughly explained this protocol.


Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety


The in January 2000 adopted Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety of the Convention, also known as the Biosafety Protocol, pursues to protect biological diversity from potential risks by Living Modified Organisms (LMO) culminating from modern biotechnology. It furthermore makes clear that products from new technologies must be based on the precautionary principle and its should allow developing nations to balance public health against economic gains. It will for instance let parties ban imports of a genetically modified organism if the impression is raised that there is not enough scientific evidence. If the product is safe it requires exporters to label the load containing genetically modified commodities such as maize. With the trade of LMOs the Protocol is also linked to the WTO and its regulations giving this protocol a strong legal framework.

The Protocol establishes rules and conducts for the safe transfer, supervision, and use of LMOs. Parties to the Protocol must ensure that LMOs are handled, packaged and transported under conditions of safety. The LMOs who are used in trans boundary movement must be accompanied by appropriate documentation specifying the identity of LMOs and contact point for further information, and other elements. This is designed to provide importing Parties with the necessary knowledge which is needed for making informed decisions about whether or not to accept LMO imports and for dealing with them in a safe manner.


Nagoya protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

This Protocol provides a legal framework for the implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of genetic resources. By establishing more predictable conditions for the access to genetic resources the Protocol generates a better legal transparency and credibility for both the providers and users of genetic resources. It furthermore sets obligations for its contracting parties to take measures in relation to the access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing and compliance. The Protocol was adopted in 2010 in Nagoya, Japan, and entered into force in 2014.


Further notes

Aside from learning about the convention and its associated protocols Dr. Christine von Weizsaecker brought something much more interesting namely expertise regarding international decision-making. It was her knowledge on this topic, and her unique inside information on how decision-making on an international convention takes place that really interested me. With her years of expertise within the Conference of Parties (COP), she notes that within international negotiations you have to know the correct wording, one cannot do anything alone, and compromises have to be made. On a side note she shows that even though the UN can be seen as one “company” its many departments do not cooperate with each other, in fact there are departments that work on common topics but do not know the knowledge of one another. Thus makes decision making hard because in such occasions when two different departments meet because they have common topics it is the word use that can be different or the knowledge they gained leads them towards different directions. Furthermore, the bio piracy (which is related to the execution of the convention) were also very interesting to hear and gives a nice example of how the convention and its protocols work and further develop.


Conclusion

All the information given during the lecture was new to me, which over the course of two days was quite a lot to structure. But the newly gained information about a sustainable use of Biological Resources and the legal framework (the convention and its protocols) supporting this sustainable use was, even though a lot, structured nicely and supported with many examples from personal experience, which is valuable information that I will take with me in future development. But the explanation of the execution of these conventions on international level is what I treasure most about this lectures. This insight will greatly benefit all the students pursuing a career within international corporations.


Bibliography

Berne Declaration, Bread for the World, Ecoropa, Tebtebba, Third World Network 2013. Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from Their Utilization: Background and Analysis. Jutaprint, Penang, Malaysia

UNEP 1993. CONVENTION on BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: text and annexes. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, Canada.

UNEP 2000. CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY: text and annexes. Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal, Canada.


Websites

Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker. http://ernst.weizsaecker.de/lebenslauf/.
Home page: http://ernst.weizsaecker.de/en/. [last accessed: 15 December 2014].
UNEP. http://www.cbd.int/convention/guide/default.shtml?id=action.
Home page: http://www.cbd.int/. [Last accessed: 15 December 2014].
WECF. http://www.wecf.eu/english/articles/2011/02/interview_christinevonweizsaecker.php.
Home page: http://www.wecf.eu/. [Last accessed: 15 December 2014].





Reported by Anne Jelte Tiemersma, exchange student currently enrolled in the Master’s Programme in World Heritage Studies