US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy arrived in Japan on August 23, 2015 to strengthen bilateral environmental cooperation between Japan and the United States. A town hall meeting on the theme of US Climate Action was held at the American Center in Tokyo on August 26, and Chuo University Research and Development Initiative (RDI) Professor Masataka Watanabe acted as chair and moderator.
Following the town hall meeting, a closed roundtable discussion took place with Japanese researchers working at the forefront of climate change and adaptation to it, and Professor Watanabe once again acted as chair and moderator.
The last visit to Japan by an EPA administrator was 11 years ago in 2004, and McCarthy came to Japan for the purpose of enhancing collaboration between Japan and the United States on environmental issues. On August 24 the EPA and the Ministry of the Environment of Japan (MOEJ) shared and exchanged information on practical climate change measures, and agreed to reinforce adaptation capabilities through knowledge-sharing networks including the Global Adaptation Network (GAN) and Asia Pacific Adaptation Network (APAN) chaired by Professor Watanabe as well as other worldwide networks for adaptation planning. Details of the agreement have been posted on the EPA and MOEJ websites.
MOEJ：Outcome of Dialogue between Minister of the Environment Yoshio Mochizuki and US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy on Japan-US Environmental Measures
EPA: Environmental Policy Dialogue Between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Ministry of the Environment of Japan
United States EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy’s address on US climate change action given at the town hall meeting was her first overseas speech since President Obama’s August 3 announcement of the ground-breaking Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from US coal-fired thermal power plants by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030, and it was attended by many experts and journalists.
Outlines of the town hall meeting and roundtable discussion were also posted with photos on McCarthy’s official Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/GinaMcCarthyEPA/posts/883074645116863
US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy addresses a large audience at the American Center
US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy delivers her speech
US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy (L) and Professor Masataka Watanabe (R)
meet at the American Center
US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy (L) and Professor Masataka Watanabe (R)
US EPA Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of International and
Tribal Affairs Jane Nishida (L), US EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy (Center) and
Professor Masataka Watanabe (R)
Roundtable discussion
Roundtable discussion
Participants in the roundtable discussion