Island sustainability in Japan and Greece: Identifying challenges and designing solutions

This joint Japan-Greece symposium will identify the main sustainability challenges facing islands in Japan and Greece. The participants will explore the potential of different solutions to enhance the sustainability of islands in an inclusive manner, as well as explore opportunities for cross-country application.

The hybrid Greece-Japan Sustainable Island Symposium is co-organised by the  Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at Athens University of Economics and Business, the Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) at the University of Tokyo and the Alliance of Excellence for Research and Innovation on Αephoria (AE4RIA). It will take place from 28th to 29th of September at the Electra Palace in Athens, Greece followed by a hybrid Climathon on Sustainable islands which will run from 28th to 30th of September inviting everyone to suggest solutions on “Sustainability and ageing population”.

Islands are social-ecological systems with unique characteristics shaped by the (often extreme) remoteness from mainland areas. For example, many island host unique and highly endemic ecosystems that have evolved over millennia. Similarly, many islands have very distinct cultures and social systems, with local communities that have strong values and a sense of place. Indeed, islands are considered hotspots of biocultural diversity.

Japan and Greece are both island nations, containing hundreds of islands of different sizes and populations. Islands within each country have highly varied ecosystems and cultural characteristics and vulnerability to environmental, socio-economic and environmental change. Some of the common challenges, faced by both countries are overfishing, an aging population, climate change impacts on biodiversity and the goal of becoming sustainable and energy autonomous.

The Symposium will explore commonalities and divergences in the sustainability challenges facing islands in the two countries and the wider Mediterranean region, as well as the solutions designed and implemented to tackle these challenges. It aims to enhance the understanding and common ground of the challenges the two countries face while engaging the youth and suggesting solutions and best practices that can be upscaled and replicated by other areas.

Funding Body: Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences (JSPS), Open Partnership Joint Seminar (B)

  Duration: Start date: 1 January 2022 – End date: 31 December 2022

  Budget: Overall € 13,761

  Coordinated by the Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo, Japan

  2 partners (Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at Athens University of Economics and Business and the Institute for Future Initiatives, University of Tokyo, Japan)

Research Laboratory on Socio-Economic and Environmental Sustainability (ReSEES) at Athens University of Economics and Business is participating in the Greece-Japan Sustainable Island Symposium. The principal Investigator (PI) is Prof. Koundouri and members of the team are: Dr Akinsete, Maria Lentoudi and Lydia Papadaki