Author(s): Junichi Tanoue
Email (s): tanoue-junichi@pref.shiga.lg.jp
Institution or organization of origin: Shiga Prefectural Government
Country: Japan
Abstract
Michigan and Shiga became sister states in 1968 through the connection of their lakes, the Great Lakes and Lake Biwa. In January 2020, Shiga and Michigan signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to promote and strengthen the Sister-State relationsh ip, deepen the mutual understanding between their respective citizens, and emphasize the value of conservation and restoration of lake environments for present and future generations. In 2021, the two governors agreed that both states would exchange information about the impacts of climate change on the Great Lakes and Lake Biwa and promote awareness about the growing climate crisis on lake environments, a key issue faced by their lakes.
The states will present together on the current issues facing lake environments due to the impacts of climate change as well as share information about the challenges faced by lake environments within their regions with other regions of the world in a session at the 18th World Lake Conference. As sister states, we believe the cases of the Great Lakes and Lake Biwa will serve as examples of the challenges facing large freshwater lakes in the world and as a call to action to build a more resilient and sustainable society. In the conclusion, in this session both states will promote and affirm the value of freshwater lakes and reservoirs and the importance of the conservation of these environments to the world.