Press Release
March 02, 2023
- Global Environment
Results of "Zero Carbon City International Forum 2023"
The Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Japan, and the Office of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the United States of America, co-organized the "Zero Carbon City International Forum 2023" on March 1, 2023.
In the first session of the forum, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, YAMADA Miki, and Ambassador Nina HACHIGIAN (online), Special Representative for Subnational Diplomacy Office of Global Partnerships, the U.S.A., made opening remarks. Next, Mr. Jean-Eric PAQUET, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Japan, Mr. Peter KURZ, Load Mayor of Mannheim, Ms. Jeni ARNDT, Mayor of Fort Collins, Mr. HISAMOTO Kizo, Mayor of Kobe City / Chair, Japan Designated Cities Mayors' Association, and Mr. AKIMOTO Katsuhiro, Mayor of Sapporo City, took the stage to discuss the promotion of urban initiatives toward decarbonization and the role of central government for their efforts.
Throughout the forum, the importance of subnational actions on climate change, circular economy and biodiversity conservation was recognized, as well as the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments and international city-to-city collaboration to further promote subnational initiatives.
In the first session of the forum, State Minister of the Environment, Japan, YAMADA Miki, and Ambassador Nina HACHIGIAN (online), Special Representative for Subnational Diplomacy Office of Global Partnerships, the U.S.A., made opening remarks. Next, Mr. Jean-Eric PAQUET, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Japan, Mr. Peter KURZ, Load Mayor of Mannheim, Ms. Jeni ARNDT, Mayor of Fort Collins, Mr. HISAMOTO Kizo, Mayor of Kobe City / Chair, Japan Designated Cities Mayors' Association, and Mr. AKIMOTO Katsuhiro, Mayor of Sapporo City, took the stage to discuss the promotion of urban initiatives toward decarbonization and the role of central government for their efforts.
Throughout the forum, the importance of subnational actions on climate change, circular economy and biodiversity conservation was recognized, as well as the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments and international city-to-city collaboration to further promote subnational initiatives.
[Date]
March 1, 2023
March 1, 2023
Part 1: 9:30-12:00 (JST)
Part 2: 15:00-17:30 (JST)
Part 3: 18:00-20:30 (JST)
[Language]
English and Japanese
English and Japanese
(English - Japanese simultaneous interpretation was provided)
[Format]
Part 1: Hybrid (on-site and online)
Part 1: Hybrid (on-site and online)
Part 2 & 3: Online
[Venue]
Kioi Conference, Tokyo Garden Terrace, Tokyo, Japan (Part 1 only)
Kioi Conference, Tokyo Garden Terrace, Tokyo, Japan (Part 1 only)
[Organizers]
Ministry of the Environment (MOE), Japan
Office of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, the United States of America
[Co-organizers]
ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)
[Collaborators]
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat
Urban7 (U7)
Mayors Association of Designated Cities
[Participants ]
From 15 countries including Japan and the U.S.A., representatives of 23 cities and regions and 20 international and domestic organizations participated in this forum as speakers or moderators.
Part 1
●Opening Remarks
- YAMADA Miki, State Minister of the Environment, Japan
- Ms. Nina HACHIGIAN, Special Representative for Subnational Diplomacy Office of Global Partnerships, the U.S.A.
●Keynote Speeches: Subnational climate actions, a key for the net zero agenda
- Mr. Simon STIELL, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (Video Message)
- Ms. Katja DORNER, Global Executive Committee Climate Action and Low Emission Development Portfolio, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (Video Message)
- Mr. TAKEUCHI Yoshiki, Deputy Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (Video Message)
●High-level session 1: Urban transformation and the role of national government
- ONO Hiroshi, Vice Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
- Mr. Jean-Eric PAQUET, Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Japan
- Mr. Peter KURZ, Load Mayor of Manheim, Germany
- Mr. HISAMOTO Kizo, Mayor of Kobe City, Japan (Chair, Japan Designated Cities Mayors' Association )
●High-level session 2: Cities' commitments to net zero
- Mr. AKIMOTO Katsuhiro, Mayor of Sapporo City, Japan (Online)
- Ms. Jeni ARNDT, Mayor of Fort Collins, the U.S.A.
- Mr. Praveen CHAUDHARY, Deputy Municipal Commissioner & Sherpa of Ahmedabad, India (Video Message)
●Panel discussion
[Programme]
The program, speakers, and presentation materials can be found on the following website. Video clips are also available.
[Summry of Results]
State Minister of the Environment, Japan, Yamada introduced specific measures towards the realization of Zero Carbon Cities in Japan and pointed out the importance of close cooperation between national and local governments as well as international city-to-city collaboration to promote climate actions in cites, which account for about 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions. At G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Sapporo in April this year, she also expressed that to realize carbon neutrality, a circular economy, and nature-positive society in an integrated manner, Japan will hold discussions from various perspectives, including cities, and promote dialogue with the U7 and cooperation with the G20.
Ms. Hachigian, Special Representative for the U.S. Subnational Diplomacy, introduced the efforts of the U.S. cities, including the introduction of renewable energy in Los Angeles, where she served as Deputy Mayor. She also explained the three key objectives of the newly established Subnational Diplomacy Unit of the U.S. Department of State: 1) to return foreign policy to cities, 2) to support cities, states, and regions in the U.S.A. and the global program launched at COP27 (SCALE), and 3) to promote cities' leading role through international partnerships. In addition, she expressed her commitment to further cooperation between Japanese and U.S. cities to support climate action by cities around the world.
In the panel discussion of the first session, the role of cities that can take concrete climate actions according to regional characteristics through dialogue with citizens was reaffirmed, and the importance of dialogue between national and subnational governments (G7 and U7 dialogue) in promoting urban climate actions was also confirmed. They also exchanged views on how to expand the G7/U7 initiatives to the G20/U20, and confirmed that they will continue to increase the momentum of urban initiatives globally in preparation for COP28.
In the 2nd and 3rd session, speakers shared lessons of advanced efforts and discussed challenges and future activities on net-zero transition, and multiple benefits such as smart/compact cities, digital technologies, resilience, circular economy, and nature positive economy.
Throughout the forum, the importance of subnational actions on climate change, circular economy and biodiversity conservation was recognized, 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 in due course.
https://www.iges.or.jp/en/events/20230301
Ms. Hachigian, Special Representative for the U.S. Subnational Diplomacy, introduced the efforts of the U.S. cities, including the introduction of renewable energy in Los Angeles, where she served as Deputy Mayor. She also explained the three key objectives of the newly established Subnational Diplomacy Unit of the U.S. Department of State: 1) to return foreign policy to cities, 2) to support cities, states, and regions in the U.S.A. and the global program launched at COP27 (SCALE), and 3) to promote cities' leading role through international partnerships. In addition, she expressed her commitment to further cooperation between Japanese and U.S. cities to support climate action by cities around the world.
In the panel discussion of the first session, the role of cities that can take concrete climate actions according to regional characteristics through dialogue with citizens was reaffirmed, and the importance of dialogue between national and subnational governments (G7 and U7 dialogue) in promoting urban climate actions was also confirmed. They also exchanged views on how to expand the G7/U7 initiatives to the G20/U20, and confirmed that they will continue to increase the momentum of urban initiatives globally in preparation for COP28.
In the 2nd and 3rd session, speakers shared lessons of advanced efforts and discussed challenges and future activities on net-zero transition, and multiple benefits such as smart/compact cities, digital technologies, resilience, circular economy, and nature positive economy.
Throughout the forum, the importance of subnational actions on climate change, circular economy and biodiversity conservation was recognized, 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 in due course.
https://www.iges.or.jp/en/events/20230301