The visitors to the AZB Hamburg on Thursday 10 September had come from further afield than those earlier in the week. Yoichi Kabutan (above left with one of his students of German) is professor in the Faculty of Arts at Shinshu University in Matsumoto. He came to the AZB Hamburg to ask Jens Schwarz (right, in front of a map of the location of RCEs around the world) about how to set up an RCE.
Professor Kabutan explained that the standard for environmental mangement system best known in Japan was the international ISO 140001. The technical department of his university had received this in 2001, while the campus, on which his faculty is one of five, had achieved that standard in 2007. He had heard about "BNE" (Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung - education for sustainable development) during visits to German universities.
Over tea and biscuits Jens Schwarz explained how the RCE Hamburg and Region had come about and how it worked. He counselled Professor Kabutan to think locally and be patient.
Professor Kabutan was also interested in the AZB Hamburg and Mr Schwarz explained that the college taught not only those that "had" to receive education (young people) but also teachers. He talked the visitors through the college's belief that although there was political pressure to reduce greenhouse emissions in Hamburg and that the construction industry had an important part to play, it was important for an individual to recognise his or her own responsibility in relation to climate change and "to think beyond money", rather to ask what s/he could do for the global good.
The visitors brought with them gifts (above) for their hosts.
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