Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral SocietyWaseda University

Transformational Initiative to Achieve a Carbon Neutral Society

Since I assumed office as the President of Waseda University in November 2018, we have been the first university in Japan to consistently pursue new approaches to research and education, with the aim of becoming “a Waseda that shines on the global stage.” Today, efforts to restructure industry, politics, and society are gaining speed across the world, with a view to realizing a carbon neutral society by 2050. To truly shine on the global stage, we must take the lead in creating new global values toward the achievement of a carbon neutral society, which is the most important and the most arduous challenge we face if we are to ensure the conservation of the Earth’s environment and the continued survival of humankind. With this crucial mission in mind, the Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society was established on December 1, 2022, as a platform for the three pillars of research, education, and social implementation.

We are currently conceptualizing various reform projects that position the realization of a carbon neutral society at the core of our future research agenda, with the aim of becoming a world-class university. A truly carbon neutral society does not simply reduce CO2 emissions through technological means, but also maintains a balance with economic growth in accordance with new social norms. We define this as the principal axis of a sustainable Society 5.0. Fusing our research capabilities in the fields of humanities/social sciences and natural sciences/engineering, we will promote social implementation research via industry-academia collaboration with a wide range of private companies and link this research to system design, with the aim of becoming a world-class research university.

The Waseda Center for a Carbon Neutral Society will play a central role in driving these reforms and guiding us toward becoming a Waseda that shines on the global stage. This will by no means be an easy journey. I would like to ask all members of the Waseda community, our 670,000 alumni who are active around the world, and all who support the University, for your continued understanding and cooperation.

Aiji Tanaka
President, Waseda University