Sweden and Japan Join Forces on Water and Climate at High-Level Tokyo Seminar

H.E. Viktoria Li, Ambassador of Sweden to Japan, reaffirmed the growing partnership between the two countries, referencing the 2024 Sweden–Japan Strategic Partnership and their shared values in climate action and innovation:

Keynotes on Water and Climate

The seminar’s keynote segment featured:

• Prof. Taikan Oki, 2024 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate, on the nexus between hydrology, climate change, and sustainability
• Dr. Malin Lundberg Ingemarsson, SIWI, on freshwater’s role in climate mitigation, drawing from the report The Essential Drop to Net-Zero
• Prof. Kensuke Fukushi, Tokyo University, on human and financial resource perspectives in water and climate

A video tribute to the late Prof. Malin Falkenmark, one of Sweden’s most influential water scholars, reminded participants of the legacy that continues to inspire water-wise solutions worldwide.

Celebrating Action and Policy

Mr. Hiroyuki Saito of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism formally announced the launch of World Lake Day (27 August) — Officially recognized in UN resolution (A/RES/79/142 ) to promote freshwater ecosystem conservation and resilience.

Corporate Leadership on Water Stewardship

The seminar featured Swedish-Japanese climate solutions led by:

• Mr. Tom Erixon, CEO of Alfa Laval, who highlighted the company’s integration of carbon neutrality and water sustainability in manufacturing. He emphasised the need for stable policy frameworks to support long-term business innovation.
• Mr. Harumichi Seta, Senior General Manager at Suntory Holdings Ltd., shared examples of corporate responsibility in action, including the Natural Water Sanctuary and Mizuiku education programme, which has reached over 250,000 participants globally.

Panel: The Water–Climate–Justice Nexus

A moderated panel led by Mr. Thomas Rebermark explored the intersection of water, climate, and social equity. Speakers included Prof. Oki, Dr. Lundberg Ingemarsson, Mr. Erixon, Mr. Seta, and Prof. Kaveh Madani (UNU-INWEH).

Key themes included:

• Integrated approaches to climate mitigation and adaptation
• Water governance as a pathway to sustainability and justice
• The concept of virtual water and its implications for local communities
• The importance of policy stability in driving industrial sustainability
• Embedding water stewardship in business models across sectors

Closing Reflections

In his closing remarks, Mr. Rebermark described water as “a connector of nations, disciplines, actors, and generations,”. Underscoring the urgency of coupling innovation with equity, science with policy, and corporate ambition with community wisdom. Emphasizing the power of dialogue, collaboration, and collective action in advancing global climate and sustainability goals.

The seminar capped an eventful week for SIWI, which welcomed royalty, heads of state, UN leadership, and hundreds of participants for two milestone gatherings focused on peace, resilience, and multilateral cooperation.

Unless otherwise stated, all photos are credited to UNU