The Ecosystem Screams: Disconnection Chronicled by Road Improvements and Airport Expansion - June 2002

The Ecosystem Screams: Disconnection Chronicled by Road Improvements and Airport Expansion - June 2002

In 2002, as the conflict between development and environmental preservation became more apparent in Japan, the serious impact of large-scale infrastructure development, particularly road construction and airport expansion, on the ecosystem attracted particular attention. Fact-finding surveys conducted by environmental assessment firms revealed concrete damage to nature, including the destruction of vegetation and the severance of habitats. A typical example is the biological survey conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in conjunction with the expansion of the airport, and vegetation surveys conducted in various regions due to road construction. During this period, Japan was still reeling from the afterglow of its rapid economic growth and was becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability, but in reality, the logic of "development first" remained strong. While the value of the natural environment was being downplayed, the survey data attested to this crisis, and t
he calls for environmental protection were sounding more and more urgent. These surveys were the first step toward building a society that coexists in harmony with nature, and they also spoke for ecosystems, which are often overlooked as "silent victims. The question of the balance between the environment and development is still an ongoing challenge.