Sapporo Sustainability Declaration(SSD)

III．Proposal to the G8 Leaders Summit 2008.

As representatives of academic institutions engaged in research and education on sustainability, we, the Presidents of the universities of the G8 member nations in attendance at the G8 University Summit, supported by the Presidents of universities attending from non-G8 member nations and the United Nations University, hereby suggest that the national leaders in attendance at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit take the following actions as part of their response to climate change and other urgent global-scale problems:

a.Recognize the efforts undertaken by universities toward global sustainability, and find concrete means to support　endeavors to foster knowledge innovation and to assist the creation of a network of networks as a platform for science and public policy innovation.

b. Pursue closer partnerships with universities in developing and implementing sustainability-related policies.

c. Acquire an accurate understanding of the scientific knowledge relevant to global sustainability issues and its application to an integrated approach to such goals as a low-carbon society, a resource-circulating society, and a nature-harmonious society; disseminate this knowledge to the citizens of each nation; and support problem-solving policies based in science.

d. In order to effectively tackle climate change, one of the priority topics of discussion at the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit, exercise the leadership necessary to prompt the international community to adopt an effective framework and implement scientifically appropriate countermeasures.

e. Recognizing that global issues such as the rapidly worsening food and energy crises are interconnected, and that they will be exacerbated by continued climate change, cooperate with all other nations in the prompt implementation of policies that address these problems comprehensively in accordance with the knowledge gained from scientific research.