Memorandum of understanding between RIKEN, the University of Tokyo, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact

On July 1, RIKEN signed a memorandum of understanding on collaboration and cooperation with the University of Tokyo and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK, Germany) with the aim of establishing a scientific research infrastructure that will contribute to the maintenance of the global commons.

The memorandum of understanding covers a number of areas: Exchanges of researchers, etc.; Exchanges of scientific and technological information, including lectures, joint seminars, and symposiums, and exchange of scientific and technological research materials; Implementation of joint research projects; Dissemination of joint research results to society (including the holding of joint symposiums and publication of white papers); and Other programs and activities related to the above.

As climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution grew ever more serious, it has become clear that if humanity continues its current activities, the Earth will no longer be a safe environment for humans. This is made clear by the IPCC reports published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and studies on Planetary boundaries (Rockström, J. et al. Nature 2009) that if humanity continues its current activities, the Earth will no longer be a safe environment for humans. Maintaining the Earth system as a “A safe operating space for humanity (Global Commons)” shared by all humanity is an urgent priority.

The three institutes are planning to establish a mechanism for basic research and systems science research—areas in which there have been few opportunities for collaboration in the past—to provide mutual feedback, thereby strongly promoting science to prevent the collapse of the Earth system.

RIKEN, as Japan's largest comprehensive research institution, will promote research from the perspective of basic science by providing multi-layered high-quality data, high-quality plant and microbial bioresources, and research infrastructure such as Fugaku and SPring-8. The University of Tokyo promote this collaborative research through its interdisciplinary perspective encompassing political science, development studies, engineering, and other fields. PIK will use its unique integrated assessment model, which enables global-scale predictions of the interactions between human activities such as economics, agriculture, and energy consumption and the Earth system, to predict the impact of RIKEN's basic research on society and the Earth system.

The three institutes will also promote the creation of knowledge that can bring about a transformation of the socioeconomic system to maintain the global commons by leveraging the strengths of each individual. Further, they will also communicate the scientific knowledge gained by society and contribute to the development of a future society for all humanity.

RIKEN President Makoto Gonokami (left) , Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Director Johan Rockström (left of the screen), Director Ottmar Edenhofer (right of the screen) and the University of Tokyo, Institute for Future Initiatives, Director Kensuke Fukushi (right)