At the 154th GRIPS Forum on 25 June, 2018, Professor Toshio Koike, Director of ICHARM, Professor Emeritus of The University of Tokyo, gave a lecture titled “Strengthening Water-related Disaster Resilience: Towards Sustainable Development and Climate Change Adaptation”.

abstract:

Along with expected climate changes, water-related extreme events, including floods, droughts, cyclones and storm surges, are projected to increase in intensity and frequency. In fact, the frequency of water-related disasters has increased by more than three times, compared with that of the early 1980s, and a similar trend has been observed in the number of affected people and the estimated economic damage resulting from such disasters. Meanwhile, water plays key roles in the achievement of nearly every SDG. This lecture will discuss science, education and policy strategies and their implementations for strengthening water-related disaster resilience, which is essential to sustainable development and climate change adaptation.

Speakers’ Profile:

Toshio Koike, a Professor Emeritus of The University of Tokyo, is the Director of the International Centre for Water Hazard and Risk Management (ICHARM) under the auspices of UNESCO and the chair of the River Subcommittee of the Council for Social Infrastructure of the Japanese government. He is also a member of the Science Council of Japan, serving as the chair of the Disaster Risk Management Committee. Specialized in river engineering, water cycle science and environmental psychology, he has been leading the Data Integration and Analysis System (DIAS) project to promote the integration and wide use of earth observation data, engaged in research on water cycle observation and prediction at basin to global scales, and studying environmental assessment and behavioral psychology. With his abundant experience and profound knowledge, he has contributed significantly to building social consensus related to river projects.