Report on International Forum ”GX and DX at North”
Reported by Juha Saunavaara (Hokkaido University)
Related Research Program: International relations
“GX and DX at North” event was organized on November 20-22, 2023 in Sapporo (FMI Hall, Hokkaido University). This event was based on industry-academia-government collaboration and cooperation between Japan (especially Hokkaido) and the Nordic countries. The event was co-organized by ArCS II (Elucidating the Complex Dynamics of Arctic Politics and Its Contribution to Japan’s Arctic Policy), Hokkaido University Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University Arctic Initiative for Future Earth and SDGs, Hokkaido University Advanced IT Prototyping Laboratory, VTT Technical Research Center of Finland, Hokkaido Government and Hokkaido Nutopia Data Center Study Group.
The seminar with simultaneous interpretation into English and Japanese was attended by more than 100 participants from Japan, Finland and Denmark. The event consisted of two seminar days and one day dedicated to site visits in Ishikari and Tomakomai.
The first seminar day focused on renewable energy production and smart energy solutions in northern regions, new initiatives concerning hydrogen, energy storage and CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) as well as smart agriculture and forestry in Hokkaido and the Nordic countries. The second seminar day was dedicated to presentations as discussion concerning Environmentally sustainable and energy efficient IT infrastructure and Smart and energy efficient cities and buildings. In addition to this, various keynote speeches elaborated issues ranging from trans-Arctic submarine fiber-optic cable projects to human rights implications of green transition on the Arctic indigenous peoples.
While focusing on green and digital transformations, this event paid attention to the environmental and geographical circumstances of the north to identify not only the challenges but also the possibilities these northern regions have vis-à-vis the GX and DX. While offering a forum for an immediate sharing of best practices and networking, the event also attempted to contribute to long-term collaboration as well as policy and technology transfers between various northern and Arctic stakeholders.
The event attracted attention among media and was covered by NHK news (only Japanese) , for example.
Reference: International Forum ”GX and DX at North”