The Kyoto International Forum for Environment and Energy (KIFEE) took place for the 12th time on October 5–7, hosted by the Open University at Reykjavík University (RU). The conference brings together universities from Japan, Norway, and Iceland, and this year marked the first time that Reykjavík University participated as a full member of the KIFEE network.

KIFEE was established following the Kyoto Protocol, with the goal of promoting a sustainable society through research and knowledge exchange in the fields of environment and energy. The first conference was held in Kyoto in 2004, and since then, KIFEE conferences have alternated between Japan and Norway. After a pause due to the pandemic, the previous conference took place in Tendo, Japan, in March 2024.

This year’s conference was organised by Guðrún Sævarsdóttir, along with a group of researchers from Norway and Japan and staff from the Open University. Speakers from all three countries presented their work, and students shared their research projects with participants, fostering lively discussions and fruitful scientific collaboration.

Guðrún says the conference was very successful, despite Storm Amy disrupting travel plans for some of the participants. Everyone worked hard to adjust the programme to the changing circumstances, and Guðrún gives special praise to the staff of the Open University for their efforts. She notes that many interesting and insightful presentations were given at the conference.

The conference focused on solutions to bring the world closer to sustainability. Presentations covered new carbon-neutral methods for producing metals — for example, aluminium and silicon through the use of noble electrodes in electrolysis, or manganese by electrolysing molten lava. There were also discussions on rare earth elements — how Japan or Europe could establish their own value chains to maintain the supply of these essential materials and reduce dependence on the Chinese monopoly that currently dominates the field. In addition, the programme included talks on innovations in biotechnology, progress in global energy systems, and ways to effectively integrate sustainability into technical education.

Guðrún emphasises the importance of such events for building connections and meeting people who may become valuable collaborators. The KIFEE meetings, she adds, have also fostered student exchanges and research visits between universities.

Visiting advanced laboratories abroad and gaining access to their facilities for one’s own research provides valuable insight into how world-class research environments can be developed here in Iceland — and how they can be used for research and innovation to the benefit of Icelandic society.

More information about KIFEE and the history of the collaboration can be found on the KIFEE website