EU-Japan Webinar
COVID-19 & Climate Change“Cities and beyond in Japan”

September 24, 2020
Ministry of the Environment

COVID-19 & Climate Change“Cities and beyond in Japan”
COVID-19 Recovery & Climate Change◼ “Platform for Redesign 2020” - Climate actions and environmental policies
in the context of recovery from the coronavirus pandemic
Chair’s summary of Online Ministerial meeting on 3rd September, 2020

Cities and beyond in Japan– Important non-state actors for climate actions◼ Role of central government to enhance the activities of localgovernments◼ 2050 Zero-Carbon Cities in Japan◼ City-to-City Collaboration Program

“Platform for Redesign 2020”
Climate actions and environmental policies in the context of recovery
from the coronavirus pandemic

Background: need to maintain momentum◼ COP26 has been postponed to November 2021 due to the coronavirus
pandemic. However, we should not lose the momentum on enhancing
climate actions toward COP26.
◼ The platform was proposed by Environment Minister KOIZUMI of Japan
(at “Petersberg Climate Dialogue” in late April)◼ We should keep in mind the need for a “Virtuous cycle of environmental
protection and economic growth” in recovering from the coronavirus
pandemic.

Purpose of Online Platform
1. Sharing information among relevant actors on efforts to addressenvironmental degradation and climate change in the recovery fromthe coronavirus pandemic
2. Providing opportunities to express and exchange views in online
ministerial dialogue to enhance the climate actions

“Platform for Redesign 2020”
Climate actions and environmental policies in the context of recovery
from the coronavirus pandemic

Online Ministerial Meeting: September 3 (JST 20:00-24:30)- Host: Japan + the UNFCCC Secretariat- Invited all UNFCCC parties (197 countries/regions) and the UN Secretary-General(Participation in the meeting, submission of video messages, and/or in-advancesubmission of information on countries’ efforts)<Meeting Program> Chaired by Minister KOIZUMI･Opening: Video messages from Japan’s Prime Minister and the UN SecretaryGeneral･Session 1: Panel discussion on “Post-coronavirus Redesign of Socio-economy”･Session 2: Ministerial roundtable on COVID-19 recovery andclimate/environmental measures and actions･Session 3: Panel discussion on “Non-State Stakeholders’ Interests” (includingmessages from Japanese youth and local governments)◼ Launched an online platform for sharing information(https://platform2020redesign.org/)

Topics discussed at the ministerial meeting and participantsSession 1 (Panel Discussion)
Key horizontal issues for the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and tackling climatechange and environmental degradation
・Minister of the Environment, Japan

Mr. KOIZUMI Shinjiro

・President and CEO of the World Resources Institute (WRI)

Dr. Andrew Steer (Facilitator)

・Representative of The Elders (former President of Ireland)

Ms. Mary Robinson

・CEO, Global Environment Facility (GEF) (former Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica) Mr. Carlos Rodriguez
・COP26 Financial Advisor (former Governor of the Bank of England) Dr. Mark Carney
・Executive Director of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Dr. Vera Songwe

Session 2 (Ministerial Roundtable)

Session 3 (Non-State Stakeholders’ Interests)

Prioritized policies in each country andinternational cooperation･Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General

Roles of civil society, youth, business, and local
government<Panel discussion>

Mr. Selwin Hart (Facilitator)<Lead statements>･Japan (Minister KOIZUMI)･United Kingdom (COP26 presidency, video message)･Chile (COP25 presidency)･Executive Vice-President of the European Commission
Frans Timmermans･Ministers and Vice Ministers of Germany, Rwanda, China,
Singapore, Netherlands, and Maldives
Remarks from 46 ministers and vice ministers,including the above, including COP24 presidency

・UNFCCC High-Level Climate Champion
Mr. Gonzalo Muñoz (Facilitator)・Honorary Chair, International Chamber of Commerce(Former CEO of Unilever) Mr. Paul Polman･General Secretary, International Trade Union
Confederation (ITUC)
Ms. Sharan Burrow
・Regional Director for ICLEI Africa
Ms. Kobie Brand<Video messages>

・Japanese local government (Mayor of Yokohama)

・Italy, pre-COP26 presidency, Japanese and international youthgroupOutcomes of the meeting
Participating countries◼ Sharing of information among ministers and vice ministersof 46 countries◼ A total of 96 countries participated in the meeting,including by way of video messages and written
statements, making it one of the world’s largest meetings
on climate change organized post-pandemic (as ofSeptember 3)

Contents of discussions

Achieving the meeting objectives:-promoting international solidarity
maintaining momentum forclimate actions→Details are publicly available in the “Chair's Summary”

It is necessary to advance the three transitions (to a decarbonized society, to a circular economy, and to adecentralized society) aimed at RE-DESIGNING socio-economic systems.
◼ Sharing and transmitting the will and concrete actions to confront the dual crises of the coronavirus pandemic
and climate change could help strengthen international solidarity and keep up the momentum for climateactions.
◼ Minister KOIZUMI showcased Japan’s recent movement towards decarbonization (discussion of its policy
on export of coal-fired power plants, “Zero-Carbon Cities” movement etc.).
◼ Recognition of the need for technological innovations, including the use of hydrogen and ammonia
produced by renewable energy and CCUS/carbon recycling, and the need for social implementation oftechnology through cost reduction and other means◼ Sharing specific information of each country about strengthening climate action, energy, transportation,
urban planning, and the adaptation measures taken in infrastructure, disaster prevention, biodiversity,etc.
◼ Confirming the need for boosting efforts of, and collaboration with, non-state actors (businesses, localgovernments, youth, etc.) in the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic◼ The expectation for the platform website to serve as a hub for the gathering and sharing of information,experiences, and efforts regarding recovery plans from the pandemic and measures against both climatechange and environmental degradation

Status Quo and Next Step for the Online Platform
Status Quo: information on policies and measures, messages of non-state actors◼ More than 100 countries participated in the meeting, including by way ofvideo messages and written statements, making it one of the world’s largest
meetings on climate change organized post-pandemic (as of September 20)◼ More than 70 countries submitted detailed information on the climatechange policies and measures being upheld even amid the COVID-19
pandemic recovery process. They are available on the website (access isfree)◼ Non-state actors’ messages (video/written messages) are submitted fromaround the world, including from the business community, e.g., Japanesebusiness leaders, KEIDANREN, DOYUKAI, Japan Climate Initiatives
Next Step◼ Strengthening the role of the information website- To serve as a hub for the gathering and sharing of information, experiences, andefforts regarding plans for recovery from the pandemic and measures against
both climate change and environmental degradation.
◼ Analysis of the information and its feedback- Commpilation and analysis of the policy information received by means ofcooperation with relevant international organizations.
- Feed back the compilation and analysis to participating countries andorganizations, e.g., at side events at SB and COP26.

Cities and beyond in Japan- Role of national government -◼ 2050 Zero-Carbon Cities
Minister KOIZUMI takes every opportunity to address numerous
governors, mayors, and high-level officials, encouraging them tofacilitate decisions toward decarbonization by 2050.
◼ Measures to support policy making and implementation of cases- Policy guidance- Collaborative projects on implementation of climate actions
e.g., deployment of renewable energy with local governments- Training of human resources for the introduction of renewableenergy in the region◼ Dissemination of good practices of cities to the world
City-to-City Collaboration Program- Transferring the knowledge and experience of Japanese cities
toward creating a low-carbon society to cities overseas with which
they have a relationship.
7

2050 Zero-Carbon Cities in Japan◼ 152 local governments including Tokyo, Kyoto, and Yokohama have announced
their commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
◼ These local governments represent 71 million people (56.1% of Japan’spopulation), and 3.3 trillion USD in GDP.
Exceeded the initial target of 65 million (more than half of Japan’s population) and still expandingPrefectures

Map of zero-carbon cities

Cities/wards/towns/villages

As of Aug 31, 20208

Cities and beyond in Japan- Role of national government -◼ 2050 Zero-Carbon Cities
Minister KOIZUMI takes every opportunity to address numerous
governors, mayors, and high-level officials, encouraging them tofacilitate decisions toward decarbonization by 2050.
◼ Measures to support policy making and implementation of cases- Policy guidance- Collaborative projects on implementation of climate actions
e.g., deployment of renewable energy with local governments- Training of human resources for the introduction of renewableenergy in the region◼ Dissemination of good practices of cities to the world
City-to-City Collaboration Program- Transferring the knowledge and experience of Japanese cities
toward creating a low-carbon society to cities overseas with which
they have a relationship.
9City-to-City Collaboration Program-Basic concept is transferring the knowledge and experience of Japanese cities toward
creating a low-carbon society to cities overseas with which they have a relationship.
-Private companies form consortiums with Japanese cities and support urban areas inother countries to create low-carbon cities.
E.g., support to design city masterplan and install low-carbon technology etc.

CompanyJapanesecity・Surveying local needs andinformation
・Identifying suitable technology

・Transferring knowledge on designing local Collaboration
systems
・Providing presentations for city management

Foreigncity

・Communication and negotiation withstakeholders in own country
・Supporting low-carbon society creation⚫ Creating low-carbon projects efficiently and effectively⚫ Designing local systems to promote a low-carbon society
E.g., low-carbon action plan and technology evaluation criteria etc.
⚫ Capacity building for local personnel

Promotion ofprivate investment

Self-sustained developmentof foreign city

Transferring
low-carbon technology
toother fields 108

Cities joining the City-to-City Collaboration Program (FY2013—2020)

Participation by
13countries36cities/regions
Japan14local government

Foreign city Japanese city
Foreign city Japanese city
Indonesia
ThailandGreater
25 Denpasar
Bangkok
Tokyo area
Yokohama（Bangkok15（Yokohama 26 Surabaya
Kitakyushu
Port/LaemPort Pier）
27 Batam
Yokohama
Chabang Port）
28 Semarang*
Toyama16 Rayong
Kitakyushu 29 Bandung
Kawasaki
17 Chiang Mai
Kitakyushu
Special Capital
Eastern
30 Territory ofKawasaki
18OsakaThailand ECC）
Jakarta(In FY2020)

Foreign city Japanese city
Maldives
1 Malé
ToyamaIndia
2 Bangalore
Yokohama
Myanmar
3 Yangon (region) Kitakyushu
4 Yangon (city)
Kawasaki
5 Ayeyarwady
Fukushima
6 Sagaing
Fukushima
37 Mandalay
Kitakyushu 4Mongolia
8Ulaanbaatar

Lao PDR
9 Vientiane
Vietnam
10 Hai Phong
11 Da Nang
Ho Chi Minh
12CityKiên Giang
13and others
14 Can Tho

Sapporo/2
Hokkaido
government
1KyotoKitakyushu
Yokohama
Osaka
Kobe
Hiroshima

867161912142013Kitakyushu

20 Siem Reap

Kanagawa

27233334 35

21 2232282624 30

31292532

ToyamaRokan Hulu,
Riau* Joint project for Bali and Semarang
35 Koror

Kitakyushu

IskandarPhilippines
21 Development Kitakyushu
33 Quezon
Area
34 Davao
Chile
Iskandar
Renca,Development
3622
ToyamaSantiago
Area/Kota Kinabalu
23Penang andothers

Kawasaki

PalauMalaysia

1115

19 Phnom Penh
17 109 18531 Bali*

Cambodia

Kawasaki

OsakaKitakyushu
Toyama36

24 Kuala Lumpur Tokyo

11

For further information……
◼ Online Platform: https://platform2020redesign.org/◼ Zero-Carbon Cities:
http://www.env.go.jp/en/earth/cc/2050_zero_carbon_cities_in_jap
an.html◼ JCM City-to-City Collaboration Program
http://www.env.go.jp/earth/coop/lowcarbonasia/english/project/index.html

12