On February 19, 2025 (Wednesday), as part of the Science Café series held every Wednesday night at the "co-en" event space near Tsukuba Station, a session titled "A 1°C Change Brings Great Transformation! ~Changing Weather and Transboundary Pests~" took place. The speakers included Dr. KOBORI Youichi, Project Leader at JIRCAS, and Dr. KAWASE Hiroaki, Senior Researcher at the Meteorological Research Institute's Applied Meteorology Division.

First, Dr. Kawase highlighted the complexity of extreme weather phenomena, cautioning against oversimplifying their connection to global warming. He gave participants an easy-to-understand explanation of recent research on heatwaves, heavy rainfall in Japan, and global climate changes.

Next, Dr. Kobori emphasized the need for scientific approaches to pest control in light of environmental changes caused by warming, focusing on research at pest "source regions" and future strategies.

The event attracted 45 participants who enjoyed tea and snacks while engaging in discussions about science. This “Wednesday Science Café” aims to make cutting-edge research accessible to the public, with free admission and no reservations required. Live streaming on YouTube also allows broader access to these sessions.