Press Release
October 10, 2023
- Global Environment
G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions
The Ministry of the Environment, Japan, hosted the G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions on October 5-6, 2023, with collaboration from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan, and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and Urban 7.
Policymakers of G7 members attended this Roundtable and enthusiastically discussed policies and programs promoting subnational climate actions traversing both domestic and across borders exploring international cooperation.
The outputs of this Roundtable will be compiled into a summary report to be introduced at COP28 to the UNFCCC, for example, with the aim of disseminating the outcomes of the Roundtable to the wider international community.
Policymakers of G7 members attended this Roundtable and enthusiastically discussed policies and programs promoting subnational climate actions traversing both domestic and across borders exploring international cooperation.
The outputs of this Roundtable will be compiled into a summary report to be introduced at COP28 to the UNFCCC, for example, with the aim of disseminating the outcomes of the Roundtable to the wider international community.
■ Overview of G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Action
Cities account for approximately 70 percent of global GHG emissions, and subnational governments are at the forefront of making global efforts to address climate change as well as of adapting to its impacts. The latest IPCC report stated that government actions at subnational, national, and international levels, with civil society and the private sector, play a crucial role in enabling and accelerating shifts in development pathways towards sustainability and climate resilient development.
Therefore, at the G7 Sapporo Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment, held in Sapporo on April 15-16, 2023, in order to promote climate actions, it was agreed that we will work closely with subnational governments by, for example, facilitating international city-to-city collaboration, and that we will work with G7 ministers responsible for urban development on net-zero and resilience agenda.
Thus, we established “G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions” to share national policies and programs promoting subnational climate actions traversing both domestic and across borders, seeking co-benefits and exploring international cooperation.
Facilitation of a dialogue with the U7 (Urban 7) through this Roundtable and disseminating its outcomes to the wider international community are expected.
Therefore, at the G7 Sapporo Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment, held in Sapporo on April 15-16, 2023, in order to promote climate actions, it was agreed that we will work closely with subnational governments by, for example, facilitating international city-to-city collaboration, and that we will work with G7 ministers responsible for urban development on net-zero and resilience agenda.
Thus, we established “G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions” to share national policies and programs promoting subnational climate actions traversing both domestic and across borders, seeking co-benefits and exploring international cooperation.
Facilitation of a dialogue with the U7 (Urban 7) through this Roundtable and disseminating its outcomes to the wider international community are expected.
■ Key Points of the Roundtable
1. The G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Action was held online on October 5-6, 2023, with the participation of policymakers from ministries of both the environment and urban development of G7 members (Japan [G7 Presidency], Canada, European Union [EU], France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and United States).
2. At this Roundtable, we shared success cases on national support policies and programs in promoting and supporting subnational climate actions and international cooperative programs in promoting and supporting subnational climate actions beyond G7 member countries. And through the candid breakout session inviting U7 representatives, firstly to enhance national support policies and programs, leveraging synergies and mainstreaming climate actions in urban development and management, including the use of digital technology, were covered. Secondly to advance international cooperation by G7 national governments for subnational climate actions in non-G7 countries, exploring opportunities for cooperative actions among G7 and integrated smart city development and user benefits were covered.
3. The outputs of this Roundtable will be compiled into a summary report to be introduced at COP28 to the UNFCCC, for example, with the aim of disseminating the outcomes of the Roundtable to the wider international community.
2. At this Roundtable, we shared success cases on national support policies and programs in promoting and supporting subnational climate actions and international cooperative programs in promoting and supporting subnational climate actions beyond G7 member countries. And through the candid breakout session inviting U7 representatives, firstly to enhance national support policies and programs, leveraging synergies and mainstreaming climate actions in urban development and management, including the use of digital technology, were covered. Secondly to advance international cooperation by G7 national governments for subnational climate actions in non-G7 countries, exploring opportunities for cooperative actions among G7 and integrated smart city development and user benefits were covered.
3. The outputs of this Roundtable will be compiled into a summary report to be introduced at COP28 to the UNFCCC, for example, with the aim of disseminating the outcomes of the Roundtable to the wider international community.