Urgent Message concerning Intensifying Climate Change
Fires in the Amazon rainforest, melting of the Arctic permafrost, unseasonal heatwaves, and super typhoons—the severe effects of climate change are manifesting themselves all over the world in what can be called a climate crisis. It was against this background that the world's first Climate Emergency Declaration (CED) was made by Darebin, in Melbourne, Australia, in December 2016. Following that, CEDs were made rapidly, mostly in Europe and North America, and as of August 2019, 987 municipalities (mostly councils) in 18 countries, including London, New York and Paris, have made such declarations.
In addition, since the start of this year, there has been an increase in the number of universities, which are centers of knowledge, making CEDs, again mostly in Europe and North America. So far, over 7,000 universities across the globe have made declarations through multiple international networks that they belong to.
There has not been much attention in Japan on the present state of the world up to now, but in September 2019, the Science Council of Japan issued an urgent message, and Iki City in Nagasaki Prefecture decided to participate in the CED.
CUC established its SDGs Code of Conduct on September 12, 2019, but, believing that urgent measures must be taken to counteract the recent escalation of climate change, which is one of the Code of Conduct goals, we are issuing the following urgent message.
Declaration
- The increasing pace of climate change in recent years has been caused largely by humans and we acknowledge that the global environment is in a critical condition.
- As the first 100% Renewable Energy University in Japan, Chiba University of Commerce will actively carry out research on climate change measures and put them into action in an effort towards building a 100% renewable energy society.
- Building a 100% renewable energy society will greatly contribute to the promotion of ESG financing and achieving SDGs.
Dr. HARASHINA Sachihiko
President, Chiba University of Commerce
October 2019