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The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced on November 27, 2017, that it has started providing monitored information on global ocean acidification on a regular basis, making it the first effort of its kind. The information will be updated in the Marine Diagnosis Report on JMA's website, and is expected to be used for inspecting climate models and as a basis for studying applicable measures in Japan and overseas.
The ocean is facing an acidification problem on a worldwide scale, caused by an increase in hydrogen ion concentration (indicated by a decreasing pH level). This is the result of the ocean having absorbed carbon dioxide, a gas that has the greatest impact on global warming, from the air. There is a growing concern that ocean acidification will adversely affect marine ecosystems including coral and plankton.
JMA developed an analytical method to assess pH values of the surface water of global oceans using observed data from two JMA research vessels and from international sources. Using this method, JMA analyzed pH values after 1990.
The results showed that the average pH value had decreased by about 0.05 after 1990 (0.018 decrease per decade). This rate of decrease is faster than the rate reported in the Fifth Assessment Report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was about a 0.1 decrease over 250 years (0.004 decrease per decade) after the Industrial Revolution, and is as fast as the rate currently predicted for the end of this century.
Civil Society
Copyright 2018 Fukushima Offshore Wind Consortium All Rights Reserved.
Tohoku Fukko Nikki (Tohoku Reconstruction Diary), a weekly feature in the Tokyo Shimbun newspaper, delivers news and stories on reconstruction efforts in the communities devastated by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. This month, we present below an article published on August 15, 2017, about an initiative to raise awareness about reconstruction efforts by using renewable energy produced in Fukushima Prefecture for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
July 24, 2017, marked the start of the "1000km Relay to Tokyo" exactly three years before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. With the aim of supporting the disaster reconstruction through the power of sports, the relay linking the afflicted areas and finished on August 7. The governor of the host city Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, expressed her perspective on the Tokyo Olympics as the "Reconstruction Olympics," saying "the Olympics cannot be considered a success without reconstruction of the disaster-stricken areas."
The Urban Planning and Sustainability Commission of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is discussing the Tokyo Olympics' operating plans with sustainability in mind. Hiroshi Komiyama, chairman of the Commission, says "Providing energy to the Olympics from solar and wind power generated in Fukushima Prefecture and the Tohoku region and displaying the power status on monitors in the Athlete's Village and stadiums can appeal to a world paying attention to reconstruction from the disaster."
In this context, Fukushima has set a goal of producing renewable energy equivalent to 100% of the prefecture's energy demand in 2040. In cooperation with Tokyo and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, it has been working on demonstration trials to produce hydrogen within the prefecture from renewable energy for use during the Tokyo 2020 Games.
A project that has gotten an early start is one to make medals for the Games using "urban mines". REVER HOLDINGS CORPORATION, a metal recycling and industrial waste processing company (headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) is leading a proposal to make "reconstruction medals" from recycled small home appliances collected from Hamadori, a coastal region in Fukushima.
The number of evacuees from the 2011 disaster has decreased from 470,000 to 90,000 (as of July 14, 2017), and the reconstruction of homes and towns has made steady progress. Meanwhile, the government's Reconstruction Agency plans to close its offices in FY 2020 despite there still being much need focus on rejuvenating industry, especially promoting tourism and erasing unfavorable rumors.
The Olympic system is said to reflect the intentions of its official sponsors, but the national government, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Organizing Committee and sponsors should work together to use this perfect timing to spread the word about these initiatives that symbolize the reconstruction efforts.
Atsuko Suzuki
Chief Executive, NPO Environmental Relations Association
President of Environmental Business Agency Co., Ltd.
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