Earth Blogs

The Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Japan is one of the most populated countries in the world, in fact its population is about 126 million people, as well as one of the leading economies in the world, and it has a great influence on it. In addition, in the year 2010 the UN established a new protocol in Nagoya-Japan, regarding biodiversity called “Aichi Biodiversity Targets”. These targets are a series of goals and measures that have to be taken therefore to stop biodiversity loss in our planet. Also, it is expected to actually enhance the benefits that biodiversity can produce, or in other word “ecosystem services”, which are a series of elements produced by the ecosystem that we take advantage from and that are free like drinkable water, or breathable air.

Japan’s 2020 Olympics

Japan is going to hold once more one of the largest sport events, by hosting the Olympic and Paralympic games in the city of Tokyo in the year 2020. At the same time, these massive series of events have several environmental repercussions due to the amount of people that get involved in the process as a whole, plus the infrastructure designated for every single event. In fact, Japan has divided Tokyo into two zones in terms of urban areas; the heritage zone which includes several of the old venues from the Olympics of 1964, and the Tokyo bay zone which symbolizes the “metropolitan area´s future”. Everything that happens inside these boundaries during the 2020 games will define if Japan was able to achieve the level of sustainability that they are looking for.

Tokyo Sustainability Plan-Biodiversity

As the Olympic Games come closer, Tokyo has developed a sustainability plan to deal with several aspects that this event represent, including biodiversity. For 2020, they plan to deal with biodiversity, water and greenery issues. As a response, they Organizing Committee has come with three main points regarding environment and sustainability. The first point is to “set water, greenery and biodiversity-related targets”. The second element refers to “measures for mitigation and monitoring of impacts on the water environment (water quality and water resources), atmospheric environment, soil environment and the ecosystem, related to Games planning and operations”. At last, there are other “measures to mitigate the effect of the urban heat island phenomenon using water and greenery”.

Olympic Stadium

The National Olympic Stadium which was designed first by Zaha Hadid priced at $2.1 billion dollars and then replaced by Kengo Kuma’s model estimated to cost $1.5 billion dollars, is the perfect example of a venue that works to achieve all the previously sustainable goals mentioned. In fact, it is one of the biggest facilities built for this Games, capable of hosting 80,000 spectators.

The architect Kuma has established a clear statement about the use of its main material which is going to be timber instead of concrete, and wood will compose the structure and several other elements of the building.

Sustainable Materials Incorporated

Kengo Kuma has opted to use a series of different sustainable materials listed below, as well as strategies to incorporate to this project, and design an environmental friendly stadium.

Timber

• This material is obtained after treating wood for several construction processes. Indeed, timber is a reusable material and produces low greenhouse gas emissions, and when it doesn’t have any use it can be composted or burnt as a fuel.
• The wood that is going to be used for this project, will come from Japanese larch and cedar trees, which is going to decrease the CO2 emitted by transportation as well as lowering the energy to produce timber from these trees.
• At last, “timber stores up to 15 times the amount of CO2 released during its manufacture”.

Green Spaces

At last, according to Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government, by the inclusion of trees and plants on the three main walkways that compose the exterior of the building, CO2 emissions in the inner city will be reduced to help mitigate the “heat island effect” and reduce climate warming.