Initiatives for zero-carbon society

There is a growing movement around the world to support local decarbonization efforts.

Initiatives by international organizations

• <UNFCCC> Race To Zero CampaignRace To Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.

• <EU> International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC)IURC will lead and develop a form of decentralised international urban and regional cooperation whose main axes of activity would be two-fold: sustainable urban development and innovation in key partner countries and regions in line with the external dimension of ‘Europe 2020’.

Initiatives by national governments

• <Japan> City-to-City Collaboration for Zero Carbon SocietyThe programme aims to support the leapfrog development of cities and regions in developing countries through public-private partnerships under the framework of international city-to-city collaboration.

• <Japan & USA> Global Subnational Zero Carbon Promotion Initiative [PDF 58KB]This initiative aims to share a variety of best practices of local or regional efforts on decarbonization and adaptation in different levels as “subnational”, from state or prefectures level, up to cities, or counties level, and to encourage them to develop their own capacities by international cooperation.

• <UK> Urban Climate Action programme (UCAP)The programme aims to support the cities and regions in developing countries most impacted by climate change to accelerate their transition to net zero.

• <Japan & EU> Japan-EU Green Alliance [PDF 616KB]Launched in May 2021 in order to advance cooperation in various fields, including energy transition, innovation and support to the developing countries’ transition to decarbonization and lead the international community by accelerating climate and environmental measures.

Domestic efforts in Japan

• 2050 Zero Carbon Cities in JapanA number of local governments in Japan have announced their commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

• Regional Decarbonization Roadmap (Council for National and Local Decarbonization, June 9th, 2021, Japanese only)A roadmap that shows the efforts to realize a decarbonized society by 2050 in the subnational through collaboration and co-creation between the national and local governments.

• Decarbonization Leading Areas (DLA) [PDF 357KB]DLA is a model area that embodies regional decarbonization. Under the Regional Decarbonisation Roadmap, at least 100 DLAs are to be selected by FY2030. Selected DLAs so far are listed here.

• Examples of Action-Oriented Solutions to Local Challenges [PDF 3,268KB]Case studies of regional decarbonization projects supported by the Japanese government are introduced here.