This time, we sat down with Tei Hakushi, who’s currently interning in our Global Sourcing Unit. We hope you enjoy the read!
Please briefly introduce yourself, including your career to date.
I graduated from the School of Social Sciences at Waseda University this spring and plan to enter a postgraduate programme focusing on social policy and data analysis at the University of Pennsylvania in the USA. As an undergraduate, I studied social policy, international relations and environmental issues, and have a strong interest in creating sustainable societies and combating climate change. I have worked for an environmental NGO and interned as a data analyst at a company, and have become interested in the interface between social issues and business/policy. Through the internship at Green Carbon, I am currently learning about NbS (Nature-based Solutions) and environmental business in order to gain practical knowledge.
What type of work are you involved in? Please tell us about your work.
My main task is to conduct research on domestic and international carbon credit schemes and climate change measures in the agricultural sector. Specifically, I research overseas agricultural carbon credit schemes and emission reduction methodologies, and compile this information for internal use. I also collect and organise information on regional agricultural policies and local government policy trends in order to explore the potential for credit creation in the agricultural sector.
What made you decide to work for Green Carbon?
Through my university studies and NGO activities, I felt that the creativity and taking action of the private sector were essential in combating climate change. Green Carbon is one of the few companies in Japan that has actually developed a “nature-enhancing” solution, and I was strongly attracted by its model that combines social and business aspects. I also sympathised with the company’s style of collaboration with local authorities, businesses and people involved in agriculture and forestry, and was particularly attracted to the fact that it contributes to the realisation of regional recycling and sustainability through the carbon credit system in agriculture, a field closely related to our daily lives, and I wanted to learn and be involved as a member of the company.
What makes your job worthwhile?
The most rewarding part is being able to be involved in the process of materialising a “macro framework” such as a global carbon market and institutional design in the “community-based” field of agriculture. At university, you often learn theories and values of how things should be, but at Green Carbon, you can experience giving shape to systems through practical work, such as the negotiation process with local authorities and companies, and the operation of the carbon credit system. In addition, the information and materials I have researched and prepared are sometimes used in actual proposals and internal study materials, so I feel that I am contributing to the project as a member of the team, even if I am an intern.
What are your future challenges?
In the future, I would like to be involved in designing systems and making policy proposals that link local communities and environmental policy. For example, I am interested in how new concepts such as “natural capital” can take root in society, how to create a system where farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises can easily participate in carbon offsetting, and how to support models that enable local authorities to solve local problems through credit creation. In the future, while studying international development and public economics in graduate school, I aim to become a person who can contribute to the design of policy systems that are rooted in the community and nature.
Finally, do you have a message for those who want to work for Green Carbon?
Green Carbon is a safe place to jump in if you are interested in the environment but don’t know where to start. People who are interested in agriculture and the local community, or who are interested in balancing the environment and business, will definitely find something to gain. I didn’t understand the systems and terminology at first, but the employees were very kind and supportive, and I was able to gradually deepen my understanding through practical work. The team vibe is warm and the opinions of the interns are respected, so if you are interested in environmental issues or want to get involved in the interface between society and nature, please take the first step!
