The Japan Association of Energy and Environmental Education (JAEEE) held a Symposium in Kumejima for its members on the topic of “Thinking about Energy and Environmental Education from an Island” on November 23, 2019. The organizers goal was to bring member participants from around Japan to observe the activities taking place on Kumejima to help inform and ignite conversation on methods of energy and environmental education.

GOSEA supported the symposium by assisting in planning and presentations during the event.

The morning began with a visit to the Kumejima community exchange support learning Center “Jinbunkan.” The Jinbunkan was refreshed from an unused clinic building into a dormitory and education space. With declining population, Kumeijma Town began inviting High School students from outside the prefecture to study at Kumejima High School. While the initial participants homestayed, the popularity of the program led to a need for increased support facilities and the Jinbunkan was created. It hosts about 30 students (10 per grade), has a cafeteria, and education space that is shared for afterschool programs with other town students.

Next, Participants visited the Okinawa Prefecture Deep Seawater Research Center and Okinawa Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Demonstration Facility to learn about the technologies and activities at the facilities and how they contribute to Energy and Environmental Education.

The afternoon program consisted of three presentation topics, followed by moderated Q&A and group discussion.

1. Combined Use of OTEC Power Generation and Deep Seawater Use (GOSEA)
2. Kumejima Town’s Energy Strategy (Kumejima Town)
3. Development of Energy and Environmental Education for Islands
   1. Development of Energy Education on Kumejima (U. of the Ryukyus)
   2. Initiatives of the Okinawa Energy and Environmental Education Society – Focusing on Remote Island Development- (U. of the Ryukyus)
   3. Development of Energy Conservation Education by Nudge (GOSEA)
4. Q&A and Discussion