Event Report: Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai Theme Week Pre-event x “Inochi Forum” Action Panel “Protecting Our Planet and Future - Action Plastic Pollution

Event Report: Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai Theme Week Pre-event x “Inochi Forum” Action Panel “Protecting Our Planet and Future - Action Plastic Pollution

Date: Sunday, September 29, 2024, 13:00-16:40

Venue: Osaka University Nakanoshima Center, 5F Inochi Kyoiku Hiroba (4-3-53 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City)

Organisers: Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), United Nations Environment Programme International Environmental Technology Centre (UNEP-IETC), Inochi Forum, Osaka University Social Solutions Initiative (Student group), Uyama Laboratory Graduate School of Engineering Osaka University, Osaka Prefecture Girl Scouts of Japan

Cooperation: Osaka City Environmental Bureau

Participants: 60 people

Language: Japanese and English 

With just six years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing the pressing issue of plastic waste pollution has become more urgent than ever. In this context, an event was held on September 29, 2024, at Osaka University Nakanoshima Center, aimed at addressing the causal roots of plastic pollution and inspiring the younger generation to take meaningful action towards a circular economy. 

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Programme agenda

Opening Remarks

- Shinji Shimojo, President, Global Environment Center

- Takuo Dome, Assistant to the President, Osaka University “Inochi Forum”, Osaka University

Lecture: “Global Plastic Pollution Issues and Circular Economy” 

- Felipe Dall, Programme Officer, UNEP IETC - lecture on the current global situation of plastic waste pollution and its solutions.

- Introduction: “About Inochi Forum and Inochi Kyokan Hiroba

Takeshi Ito, Professor, Social Solutions Initiative (SSI), Osaka University, explained about the initiatives at Osaka University.

Hands-on Workshop

- Let's make your own coaster from waste plastic!

Guided by Professor Hiroshi Uyama from Osaka University's Graduate School of Engineering, participants were divided into groups to create coasters and accessories. This activity seamlessly blended hands-on creativity with environmental education, offering a valuable learning experience.

Closing Remarks

- Sho Matsumura, Advisor, Girl Scouts of Osaka

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At the event, participants gained a deeper understanding of the urgency of the plastic waste crisis through insightful lectures, taking an important first step toward addressing the issue by exploring solutions rooted in the circular economy and addressing the causal roots of plastic pollution. During the workshop, youth participants engaged in recycling and creative activities, discovering the importance of sustainable actions, including the reduction in production and consumption levels, in an enjoyable and hands-on way. Moreover, the event served as a valuable platform for multi-generational collaboration, fostering the development of practical and impactful solutions.