News on IGES research activities and events. View on your browser. 日本語 May & June 2021 NEWS G7/G20 Special Webpage Launch The G7 Climate and Environment Ministers' Meeting was held on 20 and 21 May, and the G7 Summit will be held from 11 to 13 June. With the US taking a major step forward to strengthen its climate change measures under President Biden, how much political momentum can the G7 members build for COP26? What will be the outcome of the discussions on key issues such as biodiversity loss, marine plastic litter, social aspects of environmental challenges, and green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been continuously discussed along with climate change in the G7 environment track? Our G7/G20 Special Webpage showcases IGES Commentary on the G7 outcome and IGES Events/Publications related to these topics. More details available here IGES Activity on "High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2021)" The High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development is the United Nations’ annual global platform for following up and reviewing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s theme is “Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development”. The international community will explore a number of responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the various measures and types of international cooperation that can control the pandemic and its impacts, and put the world back on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030. Our Special Webpage on HLPF 2021 features information on relevant IGES events and publications authored by IGES experts. More details available here April Update: Platform for Redesign 2020 In April, the Platform for Redesign welcomed updates from Slovakia and Austria. To learn more about each country’s contributions, please visit the respective country pages on the Platform for Redesign 2020 website. These updated measures have also been reflected in the latest descriptive statistics and graphs illustrating national actions by time frame, main category and sub-category. In addition to country submissions, Slow Food International has also submitted a video message on sustainable food systems, available on the non-state stakeholder page. April Update: here UPCOMING EVENT 2nd International Symposium on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development On 24 and 25 June, IGES will co-host the 2nd International Symposium on Sustainable Development and Disaster Resilience (in a virtual format), with a focus on disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. This symposium will bring scientists and practitioners together to share their innovations and technology-driven solutions undertaken to mitigate global challenges. TAKEUCHI Kazuhiko, IGES President, will deliver a keynote speech on “Creation of a Circular and Ecological Sphere (CES) for Attaining Integrated Disaster and Climate Resilience” in the plenary session on 24 June. During the symposium, IGES will also convene a session on “Circulating and Ecological Sphere approach for making city regions resilient” and presentations will be given by IGES researchers, Bijon Kumer Mitra, Rajarshi Dasgupta, and KUYAMA Tetsuo, as well as researchers from partner institutes. Prior registration is required. The detailed programme will be available soon. More details available here PAST EVENTS Book Launch Webinar for “Environmental Resilience and Transformation in Times of COVID-19: Climate change effects on environmental functionality” On 17 May, IGES hosted a book launch webinar for “Environmental Resilience and Transformation in Times of COVID-19: Climate change effects on environmental functionality” (Elsevier). Jointly edited by IGES Senior Policy Researcher Pankaj Kumar and external co-editors, the book covers a broad range of topics relevant to COVID-19 and the pandemic’s impacts on various socio-environmental processes. Specifically, it explores the following themes: (1) environmental modifications, degradation, and human health risks; (2) water resources―planning, management, and governance; (3) air quality―monitoring, fate, transport, and drivers of socioenvironmental change; (4) marine and lacustrine environment; and (5) sustainable development goals and environmental justice. The book launch webinar included presentations on chapters led by IGES authors, followed by a panel discussion with the book editors. A video of the webinar is also now available. More details available here Webinar: “How to Accelerate Asia's Renewable Energy Transition: Policies, Markets and Emerging Issues” On 5 April, IGES co-hosted a webinar with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The discussion covered critical debates on policies, markets and emerging issues that shape the renewable energy transition in the Asia-Pacific, which is rapidly becoming the centre of global energy consumption. The webinar drew insights from a new book co-edited by IGES researcher, Nandakumar Janardhanan, entitled “Renewable Energy Transition in Asia: Policies, Markets and Emerging Issues”, focusing on domestic policies, geopolitics, the technology landscape, and governance structures on renewable energy development across countries in the region. More details available here PUBLICATIONS Policy Brief “Local Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (LBSAPs) to Accelerate Actions for Biodiversity by Local Governments” Working Paper “Governing the SDGs in the COVID-era: Bringing Back Hierarchic Styles of Governance?” (ADBI Working Paper Series) Policy Report “Plastic Atlas Asia Edition: Facts and Figures about the World of Synthetic Polymers” Commentary “Evaluation of Options for Reporting under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement” Book “Participatory Coastal Land-Use Management (PCLM) Guidebook: Participatory Approaches and Geospatial Modeling for Increased Resilience to Climate Change at the Watershed Level” Book “Participatory Watershed Land-Use Management (PWLM) Guidebook: Participatory Approaches and Geospatial Modeling for Increased Resilience to Climate Change at the Watershed Level” Discussion Paper “Sustainable Living beyond COVID-19: Capabilities, Collaboration, and Collective Action” Book “Fostering Transformative Change for Sustainability in the Context of Socio-Ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS)” (Springer Nature) Book Chapters “Localizing and Mainstreaming Global Initiatives on Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability” (in Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability) “A River Basin Approach for the Coordinated Implementation of Water-related Targets in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” (in Water, Climate Change, and Sustainability) Discussion Papers “Global Search for Sustainable Schools 2020 Virtual Workshop Outcome Document” “Understanding Article 6.2 Reporting with the JCM: Experience from Mutual Learning Program” Issue Brief “Japan Sustainable Finance Policy Update December 2020 - February 2021” Guidebook/Handbook “JCM Methodology Guidebook” “JCM Handbook for Mongolia” (Mongolian language version) Database/Tool “IGES NDC Database” Peer Reviewed Journal Special Issue “Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns: Policy Design and Evaluation” (Sustainability) Peer Reviewed Journal Articles “Country Representatives' Perceptions of the Biodiversity Science-Policy Interface” (Conservation) “Understanding the Conceptual Frameworks and Methods of the Food-energy-water Nexus at the Household Level for Development-oriented Policy Support: A Systematic Review” (Environmental Research Letters) “Enhancing the Sustainability of Tree Growing by Smallholder Farmers in Remote Areas: An Insight from Madagascar” (International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability) “Multiple Values of Bhitarkanika Mangroves for Human Well-being: Synthesis of Contemporary Scientific Knowledge for Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services in Policy Planning” (Journal of Coastal Conservation) “Mapping and Characterizing the Jefoure Roads that Have Cultural Heritage Values in the Gurage Socio-ecological Production Landscape of Ethiopia” (Landscape and Urban Planning) “A Succinct Review and Analysis of Drivers and Impacts of Agricultural Land Transformations in Asia” (Land Use Policy) “Assessing Nature's Contributions to People by Jefoure Roads for Sustainable Management in the Gurage Socio-Ecological Production Landscape of Ethiopia” (Sustainability) “Implementation of Accelerated Policy-Driven Sustainability Transitions: Case of Bharat Stage 4 to 6 Leapfrogs in India” (Sustainability) “Sustainable Transitions towards a Resilient and Decentralised Future: Japan's Circulating and Ecological Sphere (CES)” (Sustainability Science) INTERNSHIP The Research and Publications Unit of the Strategic Management Office Calls for Internship Applicants More details available here Note: This newsletter follows the Japanese government’s naming convention, with names of Japanese officials written “LAST NAME first name”. All other Japanese names are written in the standard English style, “first name last name”. Any comments? unsubscribe | update subscription preferences Copyright (C) 2021 Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. All rights reserved.