Head of Government
Hideaki Omura
head of of Aichi Prefecture
Hideaki Omura
After the Aichi Expo in 2005, Aichi Prefecture hosted COP10 in 2010, leading to the adoption of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which inherited the Expo's concepts of "Nature's Wisdom" and "Coexistence with Nature."
The success of the Aichi Expo laid the foundation for subsequent vigorous conservation efforts. One example of this is the development of "partnership and collaboration." We recognize the importance of nurturing people in the environmental field, and are expanding our efforts to international initiatives as well as across the entire Aichi Prefecture region.
As an international initiative, in 2016, Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Aichi Biodiversity Targets "GoLS" was established with other subnational governments around the world. It raises awareness of the importance of subnational governments in the international community, and to contribute to mainstreaming of biodiversity. Subsequently joint statements by subnational constituents were issued at COP13 and COP14. And at COP15, a new statement was developed to reiterate the strong commitment for achieving new global biodiversity framework, utilizing international platforms. The group was renamed "Group of Leading Subnational Governments toward Global Biodiversity Targets," and is working to vitalise subnational biodiversity conservation efforts around the world.
Within Aichi Prefecture, as the wide-area biodiversity conservation efforts, “Ecological Network Councils” have been established in nine regions covering the entire prefecture. Each of them brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, and work on a variety of conservation activities.
Through these activities, a high level of environmental awareness has been fostered throughout the prefecture to advance various initiatives, giving momentum to proceeding environmental policies to create a sustainable society in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders. "Aichi the Environmental Capital" that is the future we are heading.
GALLERY
Beautiful terraced rice fields, cultivated approximately 400 years ago, stretch across a mountain village on the slopes of Mt. Kurakake. These stone-built terraces extend from 220 to 420 meters above sea level, and even today 20 farming households cultivate approximately 420 rice paddies (1,296 at their peak). Local people continue to protect the great legacy left behind by their ancestors, who put in so much blood, sweat, and hardship, without letting it fade away. The clear water that springs forth from the mountainside remains unclouded, even if it rains heavily. The rice terraces with abundand water and greenery, are home to a variety of flora and fauna. The original landscape of Japan, where people and nature coexist, continues to thrive like a scene from a fairy tale.
The original plan for the Aichi Expo was to develop the entire Kaisho Forest, Seto City, as the only venue for the Expo. However, confirmation of goshawk's nesting in the rich natural environment, and the growing voices of opposition to the plans to use the post-venue site, sparked considerable international debate. The forest, which wavered between development and nature conservation, eventually steered itself towards an environmental exposition that promotes the Nature’ｓＷisdom. Kaisho Forest has become the symbolic forest for conveying to future generations the relationship between nature and humans, and the importance of nature conservation.
Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the Atsumi Peninsula is blessed with a variety of marine resources, each of which inhabits its own unique environment. Most of the peninsula is designated as Mikawa Bay Quasi-National Park and Atsumi Peninsula Prefectural Natural Park, boasting numerous scenic spots and precious flora and fauna. The Atsumi Peninsula is a garden city, so to speak, where the beautiful natural environment and the people's prosperous lives coexist. The several-kilometer sandy beach facing the Pacific Ocean is famous for a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles, and vigorous conservation efforts are underway.