On August 21th, the 2025 ‘Climate x’ Leadership Training Program, hosted by the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate, successfully held the Six live session, focusing on Climate x Adaptation

Professor ITO Akihiko has long been working on the development and applications of a terrestrial ecosystem model for climate studies. His session examines forest ecosystems, bridges theoretical ecology with applied strategies for sustainable forest management in a changing climate.

During the lecture, Professor ITO guided participants through a deep exploration of forest ecosystems under climate change. He began by outlining the complex structures and critical ecological functions of forests, then introduced advanced modeling techniques used to simulate forest responses to climatic shifts. Professor Ito emphasized the dual role of forests as both vulnerable to climate stressors and as active agents of mitigation. A highlight of the session was his exclusive presentation of cutting-edge research findings published just a day prior in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, which revealed the potential for widespread Amazon die back beyond the 21st century under high-emission scenarios, as projected by state-of-the-art Earth system models. The session concluded with a call to integrate ecological understanding into adaptive forest management and policy design for climate resilience.

The 2025 Climate x Leadership Training Program, hosted by the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC), and strategically supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and GAUC's global partners, aims to empower youth with the knowledge, skills, and tools to become the climate leaders of tomorrow. The program inspires participants to envision a sustainable future, take meaningful action, and unlock their potential as leaders for a carbon-neutral future.

Next week, Mr. Jerome L’host, senior expert and trainer from UNITAR will be providing two lectures on Youth Leadership, which will conclude the Academic module of the ‘Climate x’ Leadership Training Program.

Reporter: Maximilian Arras

Editor: Najiang An

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