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On April 11, the event “Exploring Future Earth with Frankie, “Geo-Cosmos” Special Demonstration” was held at Miraikan – The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Koto-ku, Tokyo.

Over 100 people, including junior high school students, joined to see the UNDP dinosaur character “Frankie,” who made his first visit to Japan on the 8th of this month, making an appearance with special guest Professor Fumiko Kasuga of Nagasaki University (Global Hub Director-Japan, Future Earth Secretariat).

Frankie is the hero of the climate and inequality action campaign “Don’t Choose Extinction,” which was launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 2021. During the event at Miraikan, an exhibit showcased the projected temperature increase until 2100 using Miraikan’s “Geo-Cosmos” display of the Earth. Frankie warned the participants of the urgent need for action, explaining, “Unlike the extinction of the dinosaurs, which was caused by an unavoidable asteroid, the current climate crisis is due to human activity.”

Professor Kasuga introduced the critical situation of climate change and the key themes highlighted in the 2023 edition of the integrated policy report “10 New Insights in Climate Science” by Future Earth and others. She also emphasized the importance of the Planetary Health initiatives that are practiced at Nagasaki University. Finally, she called for the urgency to intensify efforts to eliminate the inequities that will significantly impact climate change for future generations and developing countries.

Miraikan’s Director, Chieko Asakawa, highlighted the severity of climate change through the museum’s exhibit “Planetary Crisis.” She expressed her desire to create an opportunity for behavioral change by making each person see it as their own matter. She also stated her willingness to work with UNDP and Future Earth in future activities to solve climate change issues.

For more information：

@miraikan

Future Earth