About the Biomass-Asia Workshop

In January 2005, the First Biomass-Asia Workshop was held in Japan. This workshop involved government officials and researchers from a variety of Asian countries, and a number of representatives from industry, government, and academia in Japan. This workshop provided a venue to discuss the exchange of technology and a platform for sharing opinions on the future direction of industrial and agricultural strategies and research and development in the biomass field.

The Second Biomass-Asia Workshop is a joint Thai-Japan event that will be held in Bangkok in December 2005. In addition to further promoting partnerships amongst Asian countries, we hope that this workshop will serve to establish a fundamental strategy for the utilization and technological development of biomass in Asia.

Goals

Society's dependence on fossil fuels for mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal has caused environmental problems such as global warming, pollution, and an abundance of toxic waste. Because of this, the possibility of using organically-based biomass has come under close scrutiny in recent years.

The climate in Asian countries ensures an abundance of biomass resources. However, as economic conditions improve and populations increase, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission rates also continue to rise in these countries.

As stated in the Biomass Nippon Strategy, it is necessary to see this problem from a global perspective. There is a pressing need to engage in the following tactics.

1. Developing and sharing biomass utilization methods and technologies as a united defense against global warming.
2. Contributing to the creation of a sustainable recycling society through the effective use of waste products.
3. Fostering competitive, environmentally-friendly industries that make use of new forms of energy and products.
4. Rejuvenating agriculture, forestry, and fishery industries and communities through the effective use of biomass.

The success of these tactics depends on developing strong ties among Asian countries and working towards partnerships in environmental and energy issues.