Organizer:
Prof. Tetsuya Hiyama (Nagoya University, Japan)
Dr. Kazuya Nishina (NIES, Japan)

Key Presenters:
Prof. Makoto Taniguchi (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN), Japan)
Dr. Yugo Kanaya (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan)
Prof. Kenlo Nishida Nasahara (University of Tsukuba, Japan)
Prof. Ryo Kohsaka (The University of Tokyo, Japan)
Dr. Fumiko Kasuga (Food Safety Commission Japan, Japan)
Dr. Garry Hayman (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK)
Dr. Semeena Valiyaveetil (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK)

Schedule (150 mins.)
Brief description about the session [5 mins.]
Keynote speech by Prof. Makoto Taniguchi [20 mins.]
Reports from GRNs & KANs [five talks, each 15 mins. talk & 5 mins. Q&A]
Interactive (Discussion) Session [20 mins]
Closing [5 mins.]

This event will review the progress of the Future Earth Japan Report 2026 and discuss how iLEAPS and other Global Research Networks (GRNs) and Knowledge-Action Networks (KANs) can contribute to its development. The event will provide an opportunity to share recent activities, achievements, and emerging research priorities from iLEAPS and related GRNs/KANs, with particular attention to activities and initiatives relevant to the Future Earth Japan community. The event will focus on strengthening communication and collaboration among researchers and networks working across disciplines and geographical regions. By sharing recent developments, participants will identify common research interests, complementary expertise, and opportunities for joint activities that can contribute to Future Earth’s broader goals of advancing sustainability science and supporting science–policy–society interfaces.
Two main discussion themes will guide the event. First, participants will report on domestic and international activities of iLEAPS and closely related GRNs, highlighting recent achievements, ongoing initiatives, and future priorities, particularly those that can contribute to the Future Earth Japan Report 2026. These presentations will help clarify how international research activities and networks are connected to Japan’s sustainability research landscape. Second, the event will explore potential relationships and synergies between iLEAPS and other GRNs and KANs. Particular attention will be given to opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration on emerging challenges involving terrestrial ecosystems, climate change, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, water resources, and human–environment interactions.
Through open discussion, the event aims to move beyond individual network activities and identify concrete opportunities for collaboration, information exchange, and joint initiatives. Ultimately, the event will contribute to strengthening the role of iLEAPS within the Future Earth community and enhancing connections between Japanese and international sustainability research networks.

Organizer:
Prof. Shigeki Wada (Hiroshima University, Japan)

Potential Presenters:
Prof. Peter Macreadie (RMIT University, Australia),
Prof. Shigeki Wada (Hiroshima University, Japan),
Prof. Masashi Miyagawa (Kagawa University, Japan),
Dr. Kenta Watanabe (Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI), Japan),
Dr. Yo-ichi Sato (Fukushima Institute for Research, Education and Innovation (F-REI), Japan),
Dr. Takehisa Yamakita (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan)

Schedule
To be announced

Blue carbon ecosystems, including seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and seaweed habitats, play a vital role in climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and fostering ecosystem functions. Recent advances in ecological monitoring, carbon accounting, restoration science, and policy development have significantly improved our understanding of how coastal vegetated ecosystems contribute to global climate solutions. At the same time, important challenges remain regarding the quantification of carbon sequestration, ecosystem management, and the integration of blue carbon into national and international climate strategies. This side event will bring together leading researchers and practitioners working across the full spectrum of blue carbon science and application. The session will begin with an overview of the global trends of blue carbon studies. Presentations will then highlight findings from surveys of blue carbon ecosystems, ecological restoration and habitat creation initiatives, recent developments in blue carbon credit systems, and the growing role of seaweed cultivation and utilization in sustainable coastal management. The event will also introduce assessments of impacts of environmental stressors, including increase in CO2, which may influence the future functioning and resilience of coastal ecosystems. Through these diverse perspectives, participants will gain insights into the links between fundamental ecological research, ecosystem restoration, carbon management, and climate policy. By bringing together experts from academia, government research institutes, and applied management sectors, this side event aims to foster interdisciplinary discussion and identify opportunities for future collaboration to advance blue carbon science and climate solutions globally.

Organizer:
Prof. Kazuhito Ichii (Chiba University, Japan)

Schedule
To be announced.

Geostationary satellites offer unique opportunities to monitor terrestrial ecosystems at high temporal frequency, revealing diurnal variations, seasonal dynamics, and responses to extreme events. Connecting these observations with ground-based flux networks can advance understanding of ecosystem–atmosphere interactions and improve ecosystem models. This side event will bring together researchers in satellite remote sensing, flux observations, and ecosystem modeling to explore opportunities for coordinated monitoring across continents. Building on international collaborations, including GEOLAND-NET and AsiaFlux, presentations and open discussion will address shared scientific priorities, consistency and validation across satellite products, and joint analyses integrating satellite and tower observations with models. Particular attention will be given to diurnal carbon and water fluxes, vegetation seasonality, and ecosystem responses to heatwaves and droughts. A practical tutorial on using selected geostationary satellite products is also planned, introducing data access, visualization, quality information, and comparisons with flux tower measurements. By combining scientific exchange with practical training, the event aims to broaden data use, engage early-career researchers, and identify concrete opportunities for collaboration between satellite and flux research communities.

Organizers:
Prof. Masayuki Kondo (Hiroshima University, Japan) Prof. Xiangzhong Luo (National University of Singapore, Singapore) Dr. Chandra Deshmukh (Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL), Indonesia) Dr. Umakant Mishra (Sandia National Laboratories, USA) Prof. Wei Li (Tsinghua University, China) Prof. Mengze Li (National University of Singapore, Singapore)

Schedule (125 Mins.)
Brief description about the session [5 mins.] Introduction to greenhouse gas budget assessment and activities of LeXtra [20 mins.] Report on national greenhouse gas budgets of Southeast Asia [nine talks, each 5 mins.] Key sinks and sources in Southeast Asia [three talks, each 10 mins.] Interactive Session & Q&A session [20 mins] Future Plan & Closing [5 mins]

The League of Geophysical Research eXcellences for Tropical Asia (LeXtra) was established to foster international collaboration toward improved understanding of greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets across Tropical Asia. As the region undergoes rapid land-use, environmental, and socioeconomic changes, the need for coordinated observations, integrated modeling, and reliable national-scale GHG assessments is becoming increasingly urgent. This special event will focus not on presenting individual research results, but on discussing the future vision, priorities, and collaborative framework of LeXtra. Building on its activities to date, the event will explore how LeXtra can evolve into a sustained regional research network that connects ground-based, aircraft, and satellite observations with ecosystem and atmospheric models, remote sensing, machine learning, and national GHG inventories. Key questions for discussion will include: How can we expand and coordinate observations in data-sparse countries? How should LeXtra contribute to RECCAP3 and the assessment of national GHG budgets? How can we better connect scientific assessments with NDCs and climate policy? What new scientific challenges should LeXtra address beyond current GHG budget assessments? And how can the network support the next generation of researchers in Tropical Asia? Key Members from Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, China, and the United States will bring complementary perspectives from atmospheric science, terrestrial ecosystems, remote sensing, modeling, and industry. Through presentations and open discussion, the event aims to develop a shared vision and concrete priorities for the next phase of LeXtra, strengthening collaboration across disciplines and national boundaries. Ultimately, the session seeks to move from a research network focused on assessing GHG budgets toward a broader regional platform capable of coordinating observations, advancing Earth-system science, and connecting scientific knowledge with climate action in Tropical Asia.

Organizers:
Prof. Eliani Ezani (Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia),
Dr. Semeena V Shamsudheen (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, England)

Potential Speakers:
Dr. Thomas Mani (The Ocean Cleanup, Switzerland)
Prof. Sarva Mangala Praveena (University of Putra, Malaysia)

Schedule
To be announced.

Microplastics are increasingly recognised as emerging contaminants that move across land, air and water systems. Their transport between environmental compartments influences where they accumulate, how ecosystems and biodiversity are affected, how populations are exposed, and where intervention strategies may be most effective. Yet significant uncertainties remain regarding the pathways, processes and scales of these movements. Organised by the Microplastics Across Pollution Source Systems (MAPPS) Working Group of iLEAPS, this session will follow the journey of a hypothetical microplastic particle from source to environmental fate. Using this narrative as a framework, speakers from research, policy and non-governmental organisations will explore how microplastics move across land, air and water systems, what this means for biodiversity and exposure, and where interventions may be most effective. Rather than a series of stand-alone presentations, the session will offer an integrated, cross-disciplinary perspective, highlighting both established knowledge and critical evidence gaps. Audience discussion will be centred on the question: “We have followed the particle; where would you stop it, and who can make that happen?” The discussion will explore priorities for future research, collaboration and action.

Organizers:
Prof. Yoshiko Okamura (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Jun Wasaki (Hiroshima University, Japan)

Key Presenters:
Prof. Yutaka Nakashimada (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Takayuki Ichikawa (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Hiroki Miyaoka (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Fumito Maruyama (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Ryuichi Hirota (Hiroshima University, Japan)
Prof. Yukihiko Matsumura (Hiroshima University, Japan) ”Johannes Linneborn Prize Winner”

Schedule
To be announced.

Achieving carbon neutrality requires not only substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but also innovative approaches to carbon recycling, resource circulation, energy transformation, and sustainable management of terrestrial and marine environments. Hiroshima University has been advancing these challenges through interdisciplinary research that connects fundamental science, engineering, environmental studies, and international collaboration. This symposium highlights the contributions of Hiroshima University to the development of carbon-neutral and carbon-recycling solutions, bringing together leading researchers from across the University. Researchers from the Seto Inland Sea Carbon-Neutral Research Center (S-CNC), A-ESG, and the IDEC institute will share perspectives on how diverse research activities contribute to the realization of a sustainable, carbon-neutral society. The program will showcase complementary approaches ranging from advanced energy and carbon-recycling technologies to environmental and ecosystem science, carbon management, and the development of innovative pathways toward decarbonization. Beyond individual research achievements, the symposium aims to demonstrate the breadth and interconnectedness of Hiroshima University's efforts, highlighting how collaboration across disciplines and research centers can generate new solutions to complex global challenges. By bringing together researchers working on different aspects of carbon neutrality and carbon recycling, the event will provide a platform to reflect on Hiroshima University's achievements, identify emerging research opportunities, and envision new forms of collaboration with industry, government, and international partners. Ultimately, the symposium seeks to communicate Hiroshima University's commitment to becoming a global hub for interdisciplinary research, innovation, and education toward carbon neutrality and a sustainable future.

Convener: Prof.Pallavi Saxena (University of Delhi, India)
Co-Convener:Dr. Semeena Valiyaveetil Shamsudheen (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK)

List of Speakers
Prof. Gabriel Filippelli (Indiana University-Purdue University, USA)
Dr. Jurgen van der Heijden (the Dutch Organization for Applied Scientific Research, Netherlands)
Prof. T.V. Ramachandra (Indian Institute of Science, India)
Prof. Lokesh Kumar Sahu (Physical Research Laboratory, India)
Prof. Laurence Jones (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK)
Prof. Saurabh Sonwani (University of Delhi, India)
Dr. Renu Pandey (Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), India)

Schedule (95 Mins.)
Brief description about the session and speakers [5 mins.]
Presentations [seven talks, each 5 mins.]
Interactive Session & Q&A session [50 mins]
Vote of Thanks [5 mins]

Urbanization and industrialization are two of the major anthropogenic drivers of climate change. They collectively lead to a number of city-related issues like air pollution, urban heat islands, loss of urban green space (UBGS) which have adverse impacts on physical and mental health of people. This meeting focus specifically on functions, ecosystem services and practices of green infrastructure at various scales. It also aims about conceptual and scientific methodologies of urban green studies which supports sustainable urban green planning and sustainable management. This meeting also focuses on spatial modeling, and systems analysis that can quantify the dual capacity of green systems to buffer climate volatility and mitigate severe pollution.
The interactive roundtable discussion of specialists will give background information on in-depth perceptions of the current environmental issues w.r.t. urban greening and its potential sustainable solutions for the benefit of the planet's future. There are six specific objectives. 1) Understanding the methodologies for creating urban greening and promote them for healthy well-being 2) Analyzing the most accessible, attractive and well-maintained urban green space for socialization, where people can get more opportunity to interact and their physical and mental health can be improved 3) Identifying the sustainable approaches of maintaining urban greening to restore ecosystem services 4) to determine the effects of urban green space and urban greening on air pollution and climate change, noise pollution and on heat stress by analysing the designs of green infrastructures 5) understanding green infrastructure planning in cities for implementing climate change mitigation practices and 6) Cost-benefit analysis of Urban greening, and analysis of cash flows, so that each sector of society can avail the benefit of Urban green space and look for possibilities to pay for this. This roundtable discussion will definitely come up with recommendations and suggestions for implementation of Urban greening in developing and under developed countries as a sustainable solution for air pollution and climate change mitigation.