Designing
Net-Zero Future
About OCNC
Guided by its motto, “Live Locally, Grow Globally,” the University of Osaka has not only produced world-leading research, but also actively promoted collaboration among academia, industry, government, and society, contributing significantly to the resolution of diverse social issues.
Today, the global community faces the pressing challenge of climate change. A key goal is to achieve a carbon-neutral society by reducing net greenhouse gas emissions from human activities to zero as quickly as possible. However, this cannot be achieved through the spread of existing technologies alone; breakthrough innovations are essential. To this end, interdisciplinary approaches that transcend traditional academic boundaries are indispensable.
The Organization for Carbon Neutrality Collaboration at the University of Osaka serves as a transdisciplinary platform, bringing together researchers from across the university to drive research, development, and the social implementation of solutions for climate change mitigation.
To connect the overarching goal of carbon neutrality with the diverse research seeds cultivated by individual researchers, we have established six thematic areas: Energy Supply, Energy Management Devices, Smart Cities, Smart Manufacturing, Bio-manufacturing and Food, and Social Systems for Carbon Neutrality. Through these themes, we promote interdisciplinary research and education, foster collaboration with external partners, and actively disseminate information and implement research outcomes in society.
Message from the Director
Yoshiyuki Shimoda
In recent years, the impacts of climate change have become increasingly evident around the world. To address the challenges posed by global climate change, the international community has adopted a long-term goal under the Paris Agreement to limit the increase in global average temperature to well below 2˚C above pre-industrial levels, while striving to restrict the rise to 1.5˚C. Achieving this goal requires that the world as a whole attain global carbon neutrality by around the middle of this century. This endeavor calls not only for the development of innovative technologies across all sectors—from energy supply to demand—but also for extensive academic research into the social and cultural issues surrounding the implementation and societal acceptance of such solutions.
The University of Osaka has established a distinguished record of research in related fields such as solar power generation and laser fusion. However, due to a lack of unified coordination in related research, we have faced challenges in disseminating research outcomes and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across departments.
The Organization for Carbon Neutrality Collaboration at the University of Osaka was established to address these challenges. Through interdisciplinary research and active engagement with society, we aim to contribute to the realization of global carbon neutrality. Furthermore, we are committed to encouraging the participation of young students and researchers who will lead green innovations in 2050 and beyond, creating new knowledge through problem-oriented, interdisciplinary research.
We sincerely ask for the continued support and collaboration of our partners in industry, government, and local communities as we work together toward these vital goals.
