Speeches by the Environment Minister
Video Message by YAMAGUCHI Tsuyoshi, Minister of the Environment, Japan, at the Third Assembly of ACCP (July 25, 2022)
Hello, distinguished participants. My name is Tsuyoshi Yamaguchi, Environment Minister of Japan. It is a great honor to welcome you all to the Third Assembly of ACCP, “African Clean Cities Platform”.
Let me express my deepest gratitude to the Republic of Tunisia, Tunis City, JICA, Yokohama City, UNEP and UN-HABITAT for jointly organizing this meeting.
ACCP was established in 2017 by 24 African countries, Japan and international organizations. In 2019, at the Second ACCP Assembly held in Yokohama City, ACCP adopted “Yokohama Action Guidance for the ACCP”. Based on the Guidance, we have been sharing knowledge and experiences to realize the proper waste management, and implemented model projects of landfill sites. ACCP members have been expanded to 42 African countries and 108 cities, as well as 4 associates. Now, ACCP has been widely recognized and well-established in Africa.
The environment that surrounds us has drastically changed since the last ACCP Assembly in 2019.
We have been fighting against COVID-19 all over the world including African countries. There is a stronger need for safe and hygienic treatment of waste.
We achieved fruitful results of adopting “Glasgow Climate Pact” and completion of “Paris Rulebook”, an essential milestone towards the global transition to carbon neutrality.
Last year over 100 countries joined “Global Methane Pledge”, an initiative to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30 percent from 2020 level by 2030.
And, circular economy, notably the circulation of plastics, has become the world trend.
Methane emissions from uncontrolled landfill sites in Africa are said to amount to 20% of global methane emission. Therefore, proper waste management will not only improve sanitation but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Through the acceleration of ACCP activities, we can make huge difference in Africa and to the world, and that is the very reason we are meeting this week.
On the last day of this meeting, we aim to adopt the “Tunis Action Guidance for the ACCP” as the outcome document of the third ACCP Assembly. The new Guidance is expected to serve to facilitate the ACCP activities towards the sound waste management in Africa, and will be reflected in the upcoming TICAD8 next month.
Japan will continue to support the ACCP activities. Together with countries in Africa, we wish to strengthen the ACCP as our common asset. Let us realize clean cities with proper waste management. Together we can do it.
Thank you very much.
Let me express my deepest gratitude to the Republic of Tunisia, Tunis City, JICA, Yokohama City, UNEP and UN-HABITAT for jointly organizing this meeting.
ACCP was established in 2017 by 24 African countries, Japan and international organizations. In 2019, at the Second ACCP Assembly held in Yokohama City, ACCP adopted “Yokohama Action Guidance for the ACCP”. Based on the Guidance, we have been sharing knowledge and experiences to realize the proper waste management, and implemented model projects of landfill sites. ACCP members have been expanded to 42 African countries and 108 cities, as well as 4 associates. Now, ACCP has been widely recognized and well-established in Africa.
The environment that surrounds us has drastically changed since the last ACCP Assembly in 2019.
We have been fighting against COVID-19 all over the world including African countries. There is a stronger need for safe and hygienic treatment of waste.
We achieved fruitful results of adopting “Glasgow Climate Pact” and completion of “Paris Rulebook”, an essential milestone towards the global transition to carbon neutrality.
Last year over 100 countries joined “Global Methane Pledge”, an initiative to reduce global methane emissions by at least 30 percent from 2020 level by 2030.
And, circular economy, notably the circulation of plastics, has become the world trend.
Methane emissions from uncontrolled landfill sites in Africa are said to amount to 20% of global methane emission. Therefore, proper waste management will not only improve sanitation but also reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Through the acceleration of ACCP activities, we can make huge difference in Africa and to the world, and that is the very reason we are meeting this week.
On the last day of this meeting, we aim to adopt the “Tunis Action Guidance for the ACCP” as the outcome document of the third ACCP Assembly. The new Guidance is expected to serve to facilitate the ACCP activities towards the sound waste management in Africa, and will be reflected in the upcoming TICAD8 next month.
Japan will continue to support the ACCP activities. Together with countries in Africa, we wish to strengthen the ACCP as our common asset. Let us realize clean cities with proper waste management. Together we can do it.
Thank you very much.