Grant: Planning Grants - Priority Announcement: Ethics

The recent nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan following the massive northeastern earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 has once again demonstrated the potential for serious public health problems to arise from environmental threats, even as the magnitude and scope of the health consequences for Japanese citizens remains unclear. Of particular concern are the long-term effects of the disaster on the Japanese food system, including: 1) the safety and security of the food supply; 2) the resilience or adaptive capacity of both local and global food systems affected by the Japanese situation; and 3) public trust in food quality and the ability of governments to manage food risk effectively and transparently. To reflect upon the Fukushima crisis and broader policy debates about global food system change and its influence on population health, we propose an interdisciplinary and intersectoral Japan-Canada symposium in spring 2012 to deliberate upon the following question: How can local governments best enable citizens to take informed action towards collective good health in the presence of environmental health threats and food system change? We have brought together a diverse and dynamic group of researchers and knowledge users from both Canada and Japan to lead this event. The two-day symposium will feature: 1) a keynote and peer-reviewed scientific session for invited guests and external applicants to share brief research papers on leading-edge work in this area; 2) a half-day consensus workshop involving our core planning group to establish a three-year strategic research agenda; and 3) an evening public forum on the symposium question. We have planned for four key deliverables: 1) a symposium report; 2) a book-length scholarly manuscript; 3) a strategic plan for future operating grant applications; and 4) a plan for establishment of an international knowledge exchange network to share research findings and ongoing policy developments.