環境課題研究テーマ《予告》

Research Subject of Special Subject Research for Fiscal 2026 Grant

“Interdisciplinary or international research to realize Nature Positive of the planet”

Among the various global environmental issues, biodiversity is in a critical situation. Its seriousness is also recognized at the Conference of the parties on Biological Diversity (CBD), and the concept of Nature Positive has been proposed and agreed as a global goal at the COP-15 and others. Nature Positive is highly expected also in the field of climate change and disasters, and expectations are focused on research and measures using nature for climate change adaptation/mitigation and disaster prevention/mitigation etc. as Nature Based Solution (NbS).

Nature Positive is defined as a goal to halt and reverse the loss of natural capital such as biodiversity which underpins our current lives and economic activities in order to bring it on an autonomously recovery track. Promoting Nature Positive is more complexed and uncertain than promoting carbon neutrality. It is because Nature is inherently a complex system, it is not easy to evaluate the condition and value in a single sense, and furthermore it is difficult to form an agreement since various stakeholders with different interests and values are involved. To achieve the goal, a wide range of research from natural sciences to social sciences and humanities is required.

In this program, we are looking for interdisciplinary and/or international research in a wide range of fields to promote Nature Positive, such as research on situational understanding and quantification/indication methods for the current situation and future by natural science, research on biodiversity, climate change adaption/mitigation and disaster prevention utilizing nature, research on international rule formation, research on information disclosure and investment promotion mechanisms like TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) and TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures), and research on policy frameworks conducive to nature-positive, and additionally research on the process of consensus formation to set local natural goals and on humanistic and social issues based on social values and cultural backgrounds.