At GIIS Tokyo – Higashi Kasai International Campus, Japan, learners are taking action to protect and restore urban coastal ecosystems through the youth-led Kasai Coastal Guardians project.
The Kasai Coastal Guardians project focuses on tackling marine litter at Kasai Rinkai Park in Tokyo, contributing to the goals of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11, 14, and 15.
Built on reclaimed coastal land, Kasai Rinkai Park is Tokyo’s largest public park, protected under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, supporting more than 200 species of migratory birds.
However, heavy urban runoff from Tokyo’s river systems, high visitor numbers, and marine litter pose a threat to wildlife and the wider Tokyo Bay ecosystem.
The learners carried out three major clean-up operations, removing more than 15 industrial bags of waste. Through waste audits, they also identified key sources of pollution, helping them better understand the environmental challenges affecting the area. The learners continue to monitor the project area, observing changes in local plant life and ecosystem recovery. Finally, they developed a framework for continued environmental stewardship in region based on their learning.
The Kasai Coastal Guardians project demonstrates how youth-led initiatives can address local environmental challenges while contributing to broader efforts to protect and restore ecosystems by 2030.
