Sustainability Weeks 2009 Events and Activities
Int’l Symposium on Environmental Conservation of the Sea of Okhotsk: Cooperation between Japan, China and Russia
Overview
| Date | November 7 (Sat.) 9:15 – 18:00 November 8 (Sun.) 8:30 – 19:00 (Finished) |
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| Co-hosting |
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| Venue | Hokkaido University Conference Hall |
- Language: Japanese, Chinese, Russian
- Intended Audience: Researchers, General Public, College Students, Government
| Outline | The Sea of Okhotsk and the adjacent waters of the Oyashio region are unrivaled worldwide in their fertility. Recently, two effects of the Amur River on these waters have become apparent. One is the role played by dissolved iron originating in the Amur River in the primary production of the Sea of Okhotsk and the adjacent waters of the Oyashio region. The other is the possible impact of the various pollutants discharged from the Amur River basin into the Sea of Okhotsk. The conservation of the natural environment in this sea and its neighboring ocean requires simultaneous conservation in the adjoining Amur River basin. Accordingly, this symposium will focus on the ideal future of international cooperation in efforts to conserve this land and marine environment through discussions by researchers from Japan, China, and Russia. (Simultaneous interpretation will be provided) |
| Program | To see the details of the Program |
| Registration | Not required (Charge-free) |
| Contact | Organizing Committee, Pan-Okhotsk Research Center, Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University FAX: +81-(0)11-706-7142 E-mail: ao-symposium[at]lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp |
| URL | Pan-Okhotsk Research Center
http://wwwoc.lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp/en/index.html Amur Okhotsk Project |
Report
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The Amur River basin and the Sea of Okhotsk are recognized as being interconnected through material cycles and the linkage of both region’s ecosystems. Based on this recognition, the Amur-Okhotsk Consortium was established as a permanent multilateral network in which academic discussions are held on the current environmental problems facing the Sea of Okhotsk and the Amur River basin, and in which researchers from Japan, China and Russia share information and conduct discussions on a wide range of current issues in conformity with academic basics by transcending national boundaries. Researchers from Japan, China, Russia and Finland reported a total of 33 sets of research results. Consequently, it was revealed that sea ice reduction in the Sea of Okhotsk (presumably caused by global warming) has weakened vertical circulation (overturning) in the ocean, which has in turn increased the temperature of intermediate water and reduced the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the Northern Pacific. It was found that this intermediate-water circulation transports dissolved iron supplied by wetlands in the Amur River basin not only to the Sea of Okhotsk but also farther to the Oyashio region, thereby supporting primary production in these waters. There is a possibility, however, that this weakened intermediate-water circulation will reduce the amount of iron transported and thus affect the primary production of the Oyashio region in the future. On the other hand, it was shown that wetland reclamation in the Amur River basin, which has been in progress since the latter half of the 20th century, has caused a reduction in the amount of iron transported to the lower reaches of the river. It was also demonstrated that the Amur River has been seriously polluted by advancing industrialization and oil-field development. While there are serious concerns about the contamination of the Sea of Okhotsk due to oil-field accidents, the current contamination level there meets environmental quality standards. Rapid changes in land cover in the Amur River basin have been caused by complex driving forces in the global economy. Hence, the resolution of this problem requires constant cooperation by countries sharing the Amur River basin and the Sea of Okhotsk, rather than efforts by a single country. All participants in the symposium reached a common recognition that the sustainable development and environmental conservation of the Amur River basin and the Sea of Okhotsk are top priorities. Accordingly, they approved a Joint Declaration for the establishment of the Amur-Okhotsk Consortium (a network primarily tasked with information exchanges among academic researchers toward the conservation of the regions involved), and adopted it based on full consensus by all participants.  Heated debate  Group photo of the participants |
