Successful communication among multi-stakeholders is a key to create inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge to enable sustainable nitrogen (N) use for future generations. Stakeholder engagement involves the challenge in awareness rising of the N issue as well as in facilitating communications using narratives underpinned by correct scientific knowledge.

This session will look at information sharing and opinion exchanges with respect to communications on the N issue (N communications) based on the experiences of participants worldwide. For example, the session organizer will introduce an ongoing project in Japan, SusN (see below), that is challenging to facilitate N communications with various stakeholders domestically and internationally, e.g., experts, farmers, public, students, private sectors, town & city staff, ministries, and international bodies. A methodological development to facilitate discussion being imaginary future persons, i.e., Future Design, will also be introduced. Please let us share your experiences on N communications, e.g., achievements, barriers, and further challenges, etc. The session will consist of a part of presentations with Q&A followed by a part of general discussion with the floor.

The aims of this special session are:

• To share experiences and ideas on N communications among participants
• To identify barriers in N communications
• To explore solutions to facilitate N communications with multi-stakeholders
• To create future opportunities of international collaborations with participants

Kentaro Hayashi is a professor at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Japan and director of the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI) East Asia Centre. His expertise is based on biogeochemistry and soil science and now challenging a transdisciplinary approach linking multi-stakeholders to address the N issue. He is now leading the RIHN Project “Towards Sustainable Nitrogen Use Connecting Human Society and Nature” (Sustai-N-able or SusN) in Japan.

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