Lab members published two edited volumes with Springer is to highlight some of the major pervasive sustainability challenges that Sub-Saharan Africa faces. The volumes collect a number of local case studies throughout Sub-Saharan Africa that adopt transdisciplinary and problem-oriented research approaches using methodologies from the natural and the social sciences. These are put into perspective with chapters that introduce key sustainability challenges such using a regional focus. Through this multi-scale and inter/transdisciplinary approach the two volumes provide an authoritative source that on how to approach the study and solution of major sustainability challenges in African contexts.

Denise and Rodo received their PhD degrees. Congratulations!

Alice undertook a household survey in Kirinyaga county of Kenya to identify the adoption dynamics and associated impacts of different irrigation options. With the help of a local 5-person team, she surveyed approximately 440 households in different parts of the county to obtain a representative understanding of these phenomena.

Dalelan conducted a pilot study in Jamaica to observe how different parrotfish management options intersect with ecosystem services. He conducted expert interviews with national experts, and focus group discussions and key informant interviews with direct and indirect users of parrotfish resources. He focused on three site representing different parrotfish management options, namely Montego Bay Beach, Whitehouse and Old Harbour.

Vinamra undertook household surveys and biomass surveys in two logging sites in Sarawak, Malaysia. He visited Anap Muput Sustainable Development Unit (ASDU) and collected soil samples and surveyed above and below ground biomass in different land uses, namely virgin forest, logged over primary forest, logged over secondary forest, community forest and plantation forest. Vinamra also visited Kapit Forest Management Unit to collect household surveys and attend the Educational Fund Presentation Ceremony co-organising by Tanjong Manis Holding Snd. Bdh and Kapit FMU CRC.

Helen was awarded her PhD after a successful defende in January 2020. Cogratulations!!

The Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI) and the Global Carbon Project (GCP) coordinated a joint symposium on “Tracking GHG emission at the sub-city level: methods and implications for meeting the Paris Agreement and catalyzing decarbonisation”.
 
The symposium was held on 20 November at the Sanjo Hall of the University of Tokyo. It brought together academics from different research organisations in Japan, USA, China, Taiwan, and Thailand, as well as urban practitioners from Japan. Collectively the participants discussed different approaches for quantifying GHG emissions at the sub-city scale for different economic sectors, and their policy implications.
 
The first session featured presentations from the academic partners of an international research project funded by the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN). Peter Marcotullio from the City University of New York presented residential energy use projections for the New York City metropolitan area. Subsequently, Zhihui Li from the Chinese Academy of Sciences outlined the characteristics and ramifications of industrial transformation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region of China, and how it could be possible to promote low carbon urbanization. Mr. Poju Huang from the National Taipei University presented his research on the CO2 emissions of different building types in Taipei using the emergy approach. Finally, Subina Shrestha from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) outlined a GHG inventory for the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and the driving forces behind emission changes over time.
 
The second session comprised of researchers affiliated with the Global Carbon Project (GCP) and based at the National Institute of Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan. Peraphan Jittrapirom outlined the structure of the GCP and its main activities, especially related to interdisciplinary research. Yoshiki Yamagata presented a spatially explicit carbon map of Tokyo, and outlined some emerging methods anchored on Big data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to realize climate-resilient and decarbonised urban areas. Takuro Kobashi summarised the research approach and goals of a new international and interdisciplinary project seeking to catalyse deep and rapid decarbonisation in Kyoto, Shenzhen and Berkeley. Finally, Takahiro Yoshida discussed how GeoDesign can be used as a tool to support urban decarbonisation, using examples from the application of some novel techniques in the Kyojima district of the Sumida ward in Tokyo.
 
The main themes outlined across the different presentations were discussed by a panel of urban practitioners and academics. The panel comprised of Dr. Noriko Kono (PADECO Co. Ltd.), Prof. Peter Marcotullio (City University of New York), Dr. Yuko Nishida (Renewable Energy Institute), Dr. Giles Sioen (Future Earth Japan Global Hub) and Dr. Yoshiki Yamagata (Global Carbon Project), and moderated by Dr. Peraphan Jittrapirom. The discussion focused on the importance of data collection at the sub-city level and how it can lead to policy change. Issues of data reliability, local knowledge, cost-effectiveness, interdisciplinarity, science-policy interface and framing where discussed by all participants.
 
Following the end of the panel students from the University of Tokyo showcased their research in posters and received constructive comments from speakers and other participants during the closing networking event at the symposium.  
 
The full agenda of the event can be found here.
 
More information about the APN project can be found here.
 
More information about the Global Carbon Project can be found here.