On Monday, April 1, 2024, Gifu University inaugurated the Center for Environmental and Societal Sustainability by integrating and reorganizing three research institutions within the university. These institutions include the River Basin Research Center, the Regional Adaptation Research Center, and the Cooperation Center for Carbon Neutrality, Environment and Energy.

The Center for Environmental and Societal Sustainability aims to extend the accomplishments achieved by the scientists and researchers at Gifu University to broader domains. Their goal is to mitigate the effects of global warming on Earth, facilitate human adaptation to climate change, and promote the sustainable utilization of ecosystem services¹.

The Center for Environmental and Societal Sustainability is undertaking several key initiatives:

1. Development of river basin environment assessment method

2. Development of environment and social data mining technology

3. Reinforcement of climate change impact evaluation and adaptation measures, and

4. Promotion of the Japanese version of 'Future Earth²' and Interdisciplinary Environmental Science creation

The opening ceremony was attended by Vice President WANG Zhigang of Gifu University, along with other members of the Center. On behalf of the Center, Professor MURAOKA Hiroyuki, the Director, stated, "We are committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and cooperation between universities and society. We firmly believe that advancing environmental science will enable us to tackle the environmental challenges we encounter in our daily lives."

The Center for Environmental and Societal Sustainability will offer essential expertise and knowledge, empowering individuals and society to address global environmental challenges alongside our stakeholders. Through the initiatives of the Center, Gifu University maintain active collaboration with local and international communities, striving to foster a sustainable society - especially during a period when global warming poses a significant threat to humanity.

1) ecosystem services are the various benefits that humans derive from healthy ecosystems. When functioning well, offer such things as provision of food, natural pollination of crops, clean air and water, decomposition of wastes, or flood control.

2) Future Earth was launched in June 2012, at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20). It aims to build knowledge about the environmental and human aspects of Global change, and to find solutions for sustainable development.

---