Press Release

March 11, 2022
  • Global Environment

Results of "Zero Carbon City International Forum" in 2022

The Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), in collaboration with the Office of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the United States of America, held the "Zero Carbon City International Forum" online on March 9 (Wed.) and 10 (Thu.), 2022.

Japan's Prime Minister, KISHIDA Fumio (via video message), Minister of the Environment, YAMAGUCHI Tsuyoshi, and the United States Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel participated in this Zero Carbon City Forum, along with 22 cities and regions, and 10 institutions in 14 countries.

Participants shared advanced case studies on subnational efforts that play an important role in realizing a decarbonized society, as well as examples of collaboration between national and subnational government. Discussions focused on ways to further promote such efforts, and confirmed the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments and international city-to-city collaborations.

MOEJ will accelerate the cross-border decarbonization domino effect through the promotion of international city-to-city collaborations and the continuation of forum activities.

1. Overview of the Forum

  • Date:

    10:00-12:15 (JST), March 9, 2022 / 20:00-22:15 (EST), March 8, 2022

    21:00-23:15 (JST)/7:00-9:15 (EST) March 10, 2022

  • Format: On-line

  • Organizers:

Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Office of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the United States of America

  • Collaborators:

ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

2. Participants

22 cities and regions, including cities and regions in Japan and the U.S., and 10 international and domestic organizations in 14 countries participated in this forum as speakers or moderators .

During the opening session, a video message from Japan's Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio was broadcast, and opening remarks were made by Minister of the Environment, Japan YAMAGUCHI Tsuyoshi, and the United States Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel.

3. Program

The program, speakers, and presentation materials can be found at the following website. Video clips are also available.

https://www.iges.or.jp/en/events/20220309

●Video clips of Day 1, including a video message from Prime Minister Kishida, can be viewed at the following website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxKevuZzGPE

4. Summary of Results

Prime Minister Kishida stated in his video message that cities and local regions have a crucial role to play as we work to achieve net zero by 2050, adding that local regions are key actors in a "new form of capitalism" and a Vision for a Digital Garden City Nation. He regards decarbonization efforts at the city and local region levels as essential elements of the "Asia Zero Emissions Community" vision.

Minister Yamaguchi introduced specific measures based on the "Regional Decarbonization Roadmap" towards realization of Zero Carbon Cities in Japan, and emphasized the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments as well as international city-to-city collaboration to trigger a "decarbonization domino effect" across Japan. He also expressed his hope that this forum, based on the "U.S.-Japan Global Subnational Zero Carbon Promotion Initiative" launched at COP26 last November, will facilitate subnational decarbonization in many countries and strengthen collaboration among related supporting programs.

Ambassador Emanuel explained that every city has win-win solutions for economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions reduction, and introduced specific initiatives he implemented during his tenure as Mayor of Chicago, including elimination of coal plants, introduction of energy-efficient equipment such as air conditioning to buildings in commercial spaces, introduction of LED throughout entire street light system, and modernization of the entire transportation system.

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa sent a video message, pointing out that this Forum co-hosted by Japan and the U.S. is an excellent example of how multiple levels of government work together to accelerate the decarbonization domino effect. She also emphasized the role of cities, giving city planning as an example of an approach that can maximize impacts in both mitigation and adaptation when city actions are systemic, integrated and sector-wide.

In the sessions that followed, speakers shared examples of advanced efforts and discussed challenges and future activities on city-to-city collaboration, transportation and building measures, urban resilience, and decarbonization planning at the block and district level. The Ministry of the Environment, Japan expressed its commitment to identify and support subnational needs in developing countries, to accelerate the cross-border decarbonization domino effect by promoting international city-to-city collaboration and to continue forum activities. As an example of such collaboration, Da Nang City in Vietnam declared its 2050 net zero goal, along with the results of city-to-city collaboration with Yokohama City.

Throughout the forum, the importance of subnational actions on climate change mitigation and adaptation was confirmed, as well as the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments and international city-to-city collaboration to further promote subnational initiatives.

The results of the forum will be published as a "Summary Document" on the following website at a later date.

https://www.iges.or.jp/en/events/20220309

For Japanese