The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Knowledge as the Key to Protection -Part II-
Italian Republic
Japanese and Italian scientists will engage in a bilateral exchange of research experiences on five key environmental themes: biodiversity, sea, polar regions, climate change, and natural hazards. Organised by the Department of Earth System Sciences and Technologies for the Environment of Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), the programme highlights how scientific knowledge—anchored in memory and data—is essential for understanding environmental changes and increasing resilience to global challenges.
Recorded video available
Discussion
- Climate change
- Biodiversity
| Transmission of simultaneous interpretation | To be determined |
|---|---|
| Language of interpretation | To be determined |
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Track Programme
- Time and
Date of
the event -
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2025.09.19[Fri]
14:20 ～ 19:30
(Venue Open 14:00)
-
- Venue
- Pavilion
- Italy Pavilion, also hosting the Holy See
Programme details
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The event will facilitate the exchange of research experiences between Japanese and Italian scientists, focusing on five key environmental issues: biodiversity, the sea, the polar regions, climate change, and natural hazards. These themes reflect the core research domains of Italy’s CNR – Department of Earth System Sciences and Technologies for the Environment.
Each session reflects how knowledge, grounded in scientific observation and cultural memory, can be harnessed to better understand and respond to global environmental threats. The day begins with high-level greetings and the signing of bilateral memoranda, followed by thematic panels that highlight both nations’ complementary strengths and shared research efforts.
・Biodiversity is addressed from both European and Japanese cultural perspectives, and includes insights into biosynthesis and bioprospecting for future medicine.
・Seas and Oceans focuses on local ecological knowledge, particularly “fishers’ memories,” as a practical tool for marine ecosystem management.
・In Polar Regions, ice core data and remote observation offer a vivid record of past climates, while stressing the urgency of international cooperation in a rapidly warming Arctic.
・The Climate Change panel examines long-term observational networks such as SKYNET and GRUAN, emphasising collaborative monitoring of solar radiation and atmospheric conditions.
・The final panel on Natural Hazards and Deep Exploration delves into disaster memory, earth observation, and seafloor dynamics, highlighting efforts to understand and mitigate geophysical risks.
The programme concludes with a curated artistic video presentation, open to Expo visitors, designed to evoke public interest in the morning’s scientific topics and foster a broader understanding of environmental protection through knowledge.
Reports
【Reflection】
The event cantered on five key environmental themes that reflect the core research activities carried out by the Research Institutes within the Department of Earth System Sciences and Environmental Technologies of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR). The day was marked by the signing of two significant Memorandums of Cooperation: one between CNR and JAMSTEC, and another between CNR and the University of Tsukuba, reinforcing strategic scientific ties between Italy and Japan.
Panel 3: Polar Regions
The third panel addressed the Polar Regions as environmental archives. Time series data from instruments and ice cores—collected through global collaborations like EPICA and IPICS—provide evidence of climate evolution. Speakers included Tommaso Tesi and Chiara Venier (ISP-CNR), Takashi Kikuchi (JAMSTEC), Ayako Abe-Ouchi (Tokyo University), and Kenji Kawamura (National Institute of Polar Research). Research platforms such as RV Mirai II and Antarctic drilling projects aim to uncover ancient ice records dating back 1.2 million years.
Panel 4: Climate Change
This panel focused on observational networks and infrastructure essential for monitoring climate change. Systems like the GRUAN Reference Network and the International Skynet Network track atmospheric composition, pollution, and solar radiation. Key contributors included Francesco Cairo (ISAC-CNR), Kazumi Aoki (Skynet), Domenico Cimini (IMAA-CNR), and Masatomo Fujiwara (Hokkaido University).
Panel 5: Natural Hazards and Deep Observations
The final panel explored memory as a tool for risk mitigation. By preserving knowledge of past disasters through historical records and illustrations, researchers can better anticipate future risks. Speakers included Alessandro Pasuto and Paola Salvati (IRPI-CNR), Hiroyuki Ohno (Sabo), Taro Uchida (Tsukuba University), Shinichi Kusano, and Masaru Kunitomo (Sabo, MLITT). The session concluded with “Deep Observations,” featuring Marco Cuffaro (CNR-IGAG) and Yasuhiko Ohara (Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of Japan), who shared deep-sea exploration experiences focused on tectonic dynamics and seafloor composition. These records serve as a memory of Earth’s evolution and help assess natural hazards and geosphere–hydrosphere interactions.
Art Segment: Liquid Cartographies
The day was enriched by an artistic segment titled Liquid Cartographies, featuring a collective video installation by Elena Bellantoni, Elena Mazzi, Pamela Pintus, and Mariagrazia Pontorno. The six videos, projected together as a large-scale mosaic, offered fluid and poetic reinterpretations of natural, marine, and urban landscapes through the artists’ gaze.
Cast
Speakers
Francesco Cairo (on behalf of Monica Campanelli)
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC), CNR
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Kazuma Aoki
University of Toyama, SKYNET Promotional Activity Network Coordination
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Domenico Cimini
Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis (IMAA), CNR
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Masatomo Fujiwara
Hokkaido University, Co-Chair of GRUAN
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Alessandro Pasuto
Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI), CNR
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Paola Salvati
Research Institute for Geo-Hydrological Protection (IRPI), CNR
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Taro Uchida
University of Tsukuba
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Shinichi Kusano
Director General, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
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Masaru Kunitomo
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
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Hiroyuki Ohno
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
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Marco Cuffaro
Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (IGAG), CNR
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Yasuhiko Ohara
Hydrographic and Oceanographic Department of Japan, Nagoya University, JAMSTEC
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Angelo Volpi
CNR Liaison Office in Brussels
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Marino Hiraoka
Associate Professor, Department of Environment and Sustainability, Mukogawa Women’s University
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Co-organiser
National Research Council
The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
Knowledge as the Key to Protection -Part II-
Japanese and Italian scientists will engage in a bilateral exchange of research experiences on five key environmental themes: biodiversity, sea, polar regions, climate change, and natural hazards. Organised by the Department of Earth System Sciences and Technologies for the Environment of Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), the programme highlights how scientific knowledge—anchored in memory and data—is essential for understanding environmental changes and increasing resilience to global challenges.
-
2025.09.19[Fri]
14:20～19:30
(Venue Open 14:00)
- Pavilion
- * Programme times and content are subject to change. Any changes will be announced on this website and via the ticket booking system.
- * The schedule is subject to change depending on the organiser's circumstances.
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The Future of Earth and Biodiversity Week
