896. Need for Concrete Action for Strong Tropical Forests

The carbon sequestration and storage capacity and biodiversity of tropical forests play an important role in global climate and environmental regulation, and tropical forests are considered an important subsystem in the stabilization of the Earth system. Tropical forests have also provided natural resources such as timber, raw materials for medicines and seeds for agricultural crops that are essential for human livelihoods. However, globalization since the mid-20th century has led to overharvesting of rare natural resources and conversion of forests to cash crop plantations.

A recent report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) underscores the severity of the problem, revealing that a staggering 96% of global deforestation in 2022 will occur in tropical regions. Interestingly, the report suggests that tropical Asia may be making progress toward achieving zero deforestation, in contrast to regions such as Brazil that continue to struggle with extensive deforestation.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, a recent study warns of potential damage to the photosynthetic function of trees in tropical forests due to escalating global temperatures exceeding their adaptive thresholds. Should tropical forests shift from being reservoirs of biodiversity and carbon sinks to sources of emissions, they could become catalysts for global climate disruption. As a result, efforts are underway to explore ways to strengthen the resilience of tropical forests and mitigate deforestation at the local level, particularly through collaborative approaches with industry.

In this context, the upcoming JIRCAS International Symposium 2023, scheduled for next Friday in a hybrid format, will focus its discussions on tropical forests in Asia. The Symposium aims to explore pragmatic and tangible innovations in tropical forest resource management and the establishment of institutions that promote the coexistence of conservation and sustainable industry. Your participation is encouraged as we collectively seek solutions to protect these invaluable ecosystems.
 

JIRCAS International Symposium 2023 : Innovations to enhance the resilience of tropical forests and sustainability of the forest industry 

Date & Time: November 17 (Fri) 13:30～17:30 (JST)
Venue: Hybrid（United Nations University U Thant International Conference Hall and Online）
Registration Period: Sep 29 (Fri) 9:00～ Nov 16 (Thu) 17:00
Special Website: https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/symposium/2023/e20231117_jircas
Registration Link: https://www.jircas.go.jp/en/symposium/2023/e20231117_jircas/entry　

Contributor: JIRCAS International Symposium 2023 Organizing Committee