Statement on the Invasion of Ukraine by Russian Forces
The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces, which began on February 24, 2022, is an act that will wreck the foundations of a sustainable international society carefully built through environmental education. War is the worst act of environmental destruction caused by humankind, and an attack on nuclear power plants could lead to environmental pollution on a global scale, beyond the borders of Europe. This is far from acceptable considering the climate emergency declaration recently issued by JSFEE. It is also deeply worrisome that many lives are being lost every day, and that children in Ukraine and people around the world are being deprived of the opportunity to learn.
As a member of the environmental education community, I earnestly hope that this situation will be resolved peacefully through dialogue and negotiations, and that steps toward building a sustainable society will resume as soon as possible.
March 6, 2022
Kazuhiko NAKAMURA
President, The Japanese Society for Environmental Education