“Climate Change Media Symposium” will be held to discuss the role media has in solving climate change
The event will be held on January 31, 2024 in Tokyo, with a diverse range of speakers including media, experts, international organizations, practitioners, citizens and youth.
At the conclusion of COP28 held in Dubai in December, a roadmap to move away from all fossil fuels was approved for the first time. In preparation for 2025, when new NDCs (greenhouse gas reduction targets) will be submitted by each country, Japan will also be discussing the 7th Basic Energy Plan. Solving climate change requires social change on a global scale, and while it is an issue that affects everyone, it is also a major problem that is difficult for people to take as their own issue. What is needed to solve the problem rather than simply recognizing it? — What type of climate change reporting will be needed when we are to build a society that can solve the global crisis caused by climate change? How should the media cover this issue and what should they deliver to viewers and readers? — We hope that the symposium will be a productive opportunity for both the speakers and participants, while learning about problem-solving reporting and the media’s own initiatives.
Additionally, the “Promise of 1.5°C: Act Now to Stop Global Warming,” a climate campaign launched by the United Nations Information Center and promoted in collaboration with the media, will continue in 2024. We will hear from Ms. Kaoru Nemoto, the Director of the United Nations Information Center, and participating media about the details of the initiative. We hope that the importance of media collaboration will be further recognized and this will lead to new practices with stakeholders from various positions.
Date: 2024/1/31 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Symposium (6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Social Hour)
Location: Smart News 6-25-26 2F, Jingumae Shibuya, Tokyo
Host: Medis is Hope
Supporting Organization: SlowNews Co., Ltd.
Resister: Application Form *Reception will end once capacity is reached
<Speakers>
-Media-
・Keisuke Katori: Deputy Director, Science Mirai Department, Editorial Bureau, The Asahi Shimbun
・Momoe Ishii: Shin-Hiroshima TV, Deputy General Manager of News Department, SDGs journalist
・Kosuke Hatta: Mainichi Shimbun New York bureau specialist journalist
・Mina Oba: Writer/Editor, Jane Goodall Institute Japan/Former VOGUE JAPAN editor
・Yasunobu Kumada: Slow News Producer, J-Forum/D-JEDI Director
・Hiroko Otake: Hearst Fujingahosha Sustainability Manager
・Mayumi Shinmachi: Kodansha FRaU Business Manager/FRaU Web Editor-in-Chief
-International organization-
・Kaoru Nemoto: Director of United Nations Information Center
・Mark Hertsgaard: Covering Climate Now CO-FOUNDER
-Scientists and Experts-
・Seita Emori: Climate Scientist, Professor at the Institute For Future Vision Initiatives of university of Tokyo
・Yukiko Imada: Associate Professor, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Event Attribution Specialist
・Kenji Fuma: CEO of Neural Co., Ltd., Strategy and Financial Consultant
-Companies and practitioners-
-Citizens (viewers/readers)
・Yu Kobayashi: elementary school teacher, initiator of the “#Report the cause of the heat” petition
・Yoshizo Nishida, Yuka Natori: Media is Hope Co-founder/Director
<Schedule>
3:00 PM – 3:10 PM
Opening Remarks : Media is Hope
Moderator introduction: Mayumi Shinmachi (Kodansha FRaU Division Manager/Kodansha FRaU Web Editor-in-Chief)
3:10 PM – 3:40 PM
Significance of advanced media collaboration in Japan (Introduction of the “1.5°C Promise”)
◆Purpose of media collaboration, results of the second year and prospects for the third year
Kaoru Nemoto (Director of United Nations Information Center)
◆Introducing initiatives during the campaign, reporting, and points for improvement in information dissemination
Keisuke Katori (Deputy Director, Science Mirai Department, Editorial Bureau, The Asahi Shimbun)
Momoe Ishii (Shin-Hiroshima TV, Deputy General Manager, News Department, SDGs journalist)
◆The changes and expectations I feel as a climate scientist working with the media
Seita Emori (Climate Scientist, Professor at the Institute For Future Vision Initiatives of university of Tokyo)
3:45 PM – 4:25 PM
Accomplishments and challenges in climate change reporting
◆Past achievements revealed from public opinion polls: Topics provided by citizens and experts
Yu Kobayashi (Elementary school teacher, initiator of the “Report the cause of the heat” petition)
◆Achievements and challenges with areas of interest for engaged readers and viewers
Mina Oba (Writer/Editor, Jane Goodall Institute Japan/Former VOGUE JAPAN editor)
◆Changes in Society and News Reporting Experienced at Overseas Bureaus and Expectations for Japan
Mr. Kosuke Hatta (Mainichi Shimbun New York bureau specialist journalist)
◆Relationship between weather and climate change
Yukiko Imada: Associate Professor, Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Event Attribution Specialist
4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Introduction of the media’s own decarbonization efforts
◆Report on the results of the media survey on decarbonization efforts
Yasunobu Kumada (Slow News Producer, J-Forum/D-JEDI Director)
◆Advanced climate change-related initiatives in the media, progress and prospects
Hiroko Otake (Sustainability Manager, Hearst Fujingahosha)
◆Evaluation and expectations of the media’s own decarbonization efforts from the perspective of sustainable management
Kenji Fuma (CEO of Neural Co., Ltd., Strategy and Financial Consultant)
5:00 PM- 5:15 PM
Media is Hope AWARD 2023（Individual/media awards for the second half of the year, and annual awards）
5:15 PM – 5:55 PM
Media’s role to solve climate change
◆Learn how to connect the problem and the solutions of Climate Change (Solution journalism)
Mark Hertsgaard (Covering Climate Now CO-FOUNDER)
◆Explore new roles and possibilities for the media needed to solve the problem
Discussions with media professionals, experts, practitioners, and citizens (viewers and readers)
5:55 PM – 6:00 PM
Closing Remarks
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Social Hour
<About Media is Hope>
Media is Hope is an organization that provides various support to strengthen the media coverage of climate change, based on the belief that correct knowledge of climate change is the first step to create a common awareness in Japan and to promote behavioral change in order to realize a society that can solve climate change. With the vision of “media creators and consumers alike taking responsibility for cultivating fair and impartial free media and a sustainable society”, the organization serves as a bridge for media, citizens, corporations, and all stakeholders to build a co-creative relationship in order to achieve essential solutions to climate change.
HP : https://media-is-hope.org/en/
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/mediaishope/