4 October 2017
7th International Forum on the “FutureCity” Initiative

The Promotion of SDGs in Localities,
following The FutureCity Initiative
Shuzo Murakami
Chairperson of the Promotion Committee for the “FutureCity” Initiative (Cabinet Office)
Chairperson of the Expert Study Group for the Promotion of SDGs by Local Governments(Cabinet Office)Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Points for discussion
・The “FutureCity” Initiative

・Local Government Administrationand SDGs

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

SDGs as a Global Mechanism
International goals tobe attained by2030

Monitoring and evaluationof the progress status

Three-layer structure
Goals （17）Targets （169）
Indicators （232）

Applied universally
across all countries
and regions

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

SDGs Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
10 targets established under Goal 11:
Targets
By theme

テーマ別
達成目標

11.1 Supply of
11.1housing
住宅供給

11.2 Developmentof 交通整備
transport
11.2
infrastructure

11.5 Mitigation of
11.5 脆弱性の軽減
vulnerability11.3 Urban
11.3planning
都市計画11.6 Environmental
11.6 環境保全
conservation

11.4 Protection of
11.4heritage/relics
遺産・遺構の保護
11.7 Development of
11.7public
公共空間の整備
spacesTarget11.1-11.7

Targets
As means forachieving the goal

達成
手段Target
11.a-11.c

11.a Cooperation between
11.a
都市と地方の連携
urban and rural areas

11.b Formulation of

11.b
統合的な政策の策定
comprehensive
policies

11.c Financial/Technological11.c 財政的・技術的支援
supportGoal 11 has the strongest connection with local government administration
On the other hand, the other 16 goals are also related to local government
administration in various ways.

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Examples of Sustainable Community Development
Initiatives by the Government
System for promoting the “FutureCity” initiative
FutureCity(2011)(2008)

Top runners

Environmental
Model City

Promotion Council for the “FutureCity” Initiative・ Local governments
Participating・ Public organizationsorganizations
・ Private-sector corporations
Approx. 260• Sustainability• Green growth• Super-aging society

Low-carbon society

Partnerships

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy ConservationOverview of Activities Under the“FutureCity” Initiative
1. Accreditation by the central government

2. Presentation of goals that citizens should achieve
3. Interviews and advice from the expert committee
4. Establishment of the Promotion Council for the “FutureCity” Initiative
Partnerships between industries/public organizations and local governments

5. Evaluation and public announcement by the national government
Implementation of PDCA and improvement in the governance by the head ofthe local government

6. Dissemination of best practices within and outside Japan
Global partnerships

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Selected Environmental Model Cities/FutureCity
Environmental model cities（Total: 23 cities)(Cities selected in FY2008)(Cities selected in FY2012)(Cities selected in FY2013)
１

１ Shimokawa (Hokkaido)

16

Kyoto (Kyoto)

21

Niigata (Niigata)

28 Niseko (Hokkaido)

12

Obihiro (Hokkaido)

17

Sakai (Osaka)

22

Tsukuba (Ibaraki)

29

13

Chiyoda (Tokyo)

18

Yusuhara (Kochi)

23

Mitake (Gifu)

30

3

Yokohama (Kanagawa)

5

Kitakyushu (Fukuoka)

24

Amagasaki (Hyogo)

14

Iida (Nagano)

19 Minamata (Kumamoto)

25

Kobe (Hyogo)

4Toyama (Toyama)

20 Miyakojima (Okinawa)

26 Nishiawakura (Okayama)

15Toyota (Aichi)

27Ikoma (Nara)

28

12Oguni (Kumamoto)Matsuyama (Ehime)
7
6

FutureCity (11 cities: 2011)98

１ Shimokawa (Hokkaido)

11
21

10

2 Kashiwa (Chiba)②3

Yokohama (Kanagawa)4Toyama (Toyama)

422
13

14
5

Kitakyushu (Fukuoka)

23
16

26
625 24

Kesen Region (Iwate)

3

2

15

29
17

7

Kamaishi (Iwate)

8Iwanuma (Miyagi)

27

518
30

9 Higashimatsushima (Miyagi)
10 Minamisoma (Fukushima)
11Shinchi (Fukushima)

1920

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Creation of Three Values Toward Sustainable
Growth in the "FutureCity" Initiative• Low-carbon society• Biodiversity• Tackling the problem ofa super-aging society• Health/Welfare• Disaster prevention,safety/security• Social capital• Social
solidarity/Fairness, etc.

Creation ofenvironmental
valuesCreation ofsocial values• Resource circulation and 3R(Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)• Water/Air environment• Ultra energy-saving society etc.

Creation of
economic
values• Concentration of knowledge
and information• Knowledge economy• Employment/Income• New industries• Minimization of social costetc.

The triple bottom-line framework of environment, society,and economy is strongly compatible with SDGs.
8Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

International Dissemination
1. Official side-event hosted by the Japanese governmentat (RIO + 20): “Future Cities We Want”
Speech by theMinister of Foreign
Affairs(RIO + 20: UN Conference on Sustainable Development)

Introduction to the “FutureCity” Initiativeby Shuzo Murakami (Chairperson of the Expert Study Group)

2. International forum held in cities within and outside
Japan: Total of 9 forums held9Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Why was the "FutureCity" Initiative
able to achieve great success?
1. The title of “Environmental Model City”/”FutureCity”
accorded by the central government
Gave local governments strong motivation toward therealization of sustainable societies

2. Each city promoting initiatives through their own efforts,based on their own concepts and ideas
Building models of autonomous virtuous cycles

Provided significant hint to promotion of SDGs bylocal governments

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Points of discussion
・“FutureCity” Initiative

・Local Government Administrationand SDGs

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Act on the Revitalization of Cities, People, and Jobs:
The Centerpiece for Regional Revitalization
Tackling the problems of declining birthrates/aging population,and putting the brakes on population decline
Remedying the excessive concentration of population in the Tokyoregion
Securing a good living environment in the respective regions

Maintaining a vibrant Japanese society into the future

Need for initiatives corresponding to the characteristics of each region

Selection from the diverse menu of SDGs
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Regional Revitalization Through Collaboration
Between "Cities, People, and Jobs"
PeopleJobs

Securing and developing capable humanresources, seamless support for marriage,
childbirth, child-raising

Securing and improving thequality and quantity of employmentCities
Resolving issues in line with regional
characteristics

・ If there are jobs, people would come, and the cities would be revitalized
・ If cities are not attractive, both people and companies would leave

Sustainable development through SDGs

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

SDGs
Future Cities(Provisional)

2011

2008

2008

FutureCity
Environmental
Model City

Promotion Council for the“FutureCity” Initiative

One of the concrete policies by the Cabinet Office’s SDGs Promotion Headquarters (June 2016):
Promotion of the "FutureCity" Initiative toward the further revitalization of local governments
Establishment of Expert Study Group for the Promotion of SDGs by Local Governments
under the Office for Promotion of Regional Revitalization of the Cabinet Office (June 2017)14

Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Guidelines for SDGs Implementation,Established by the Government of Japan (December 2016)(3) Cooperation with stakeholders (Guidelines for SDGs Implementation, P8)(Local governments)
In order to implement the SDGs nationwide, it is vital for local
governments across Japan as well as stakeholders active in those regions
to take a proactive approach toward promoting initiatives. From thisperspective, encourage the respective local governments to reflectelements of the SDGs to the greatest extent possible in the formulation
and revision of various plans, strategies, and policies, and at the sametime, promote initiatives toward the achievement of SDGs, such as
strengthening cooperation with the relevant stakeholders through thepolicies of the relevant ministries and agencies, and other means.

Proactive initiatives required of local governments
Source: Guidelines for the Implementation of SDGs (Text), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Promotion Headquarters

15Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Methods of Implementing SDGs by Local
Governments (Examples)
1. Incorporate into the overall plans
Link SDGs initiatives with the overall plans that are positioned
as the top-level plans of the local government

2. Incorporate into overall strategies, basic
environmental plans, etc.
Incorporate elements of SDGs into individual strategies and plans
formulated by the local government

3. Work out independent plans for SDGs initiatives
Work out plans for SDGs initiatives that are independent ofexisting plans, etc.
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Scaled-down Framework of Introduction of SDGs
Global-levelSDGs
National-level
initiatives
Japan’s implementation guidelines,
and eight priority issues

Local government-level initiatives
Initiative 1.
Mandatory/Inclusive
SDGs promoted as the responsibilityof local government administration,
in response to policies establishedby the national government

Initiative 2.
Voluntary/Selective
SDGs promoted by therespective local
governments based on
their unique conditions

Localization of SDGs, which is a common language across the world, is important(Incorporating into the local communities)
Source: SDGs for Our City - Guidelines for Introduction, March 2017, Sub-committee for the Review of Local Government SDGs (Chair: Shuzo Murakami, Secretary: Shun Kawakubo)

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Advantages of Implementing SDGs Initiatives
for Local Governments
1. Fostering local identity, and revitalization of the region

2. Integration of economic, societal, and environmental
policies, and creation of new values
3. Improvement in citizens’ QOL
4. Promotion of partnerships through cooperation withdiverse stakeholders5. Grasping international trends and making international
cooperation the mainstream trend
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Role of the Government in Promoting
Local Government SDGs
1. Tie-ups with precedent systems such as the Act on theRevitalization of Cities, People, and Jobs

2. Drawing local governments' attention to incentives
for participating in SDGs
Formulation of support policies in the financial aspect, such as subsidies
and tax cuts
Support for improving branding, such as certification for outstanding local
government bodies awarded by the government

3. Building partnerships between local governments
and the national government
Close cooperation between local and central governments
For example, establishment of organizations such as the Promotion
Council for the “FutureCity” Initiative

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Establishing Policy Objectives for the Promotion of SDGs
1. Establishing policy objectives based on goals and targets
Formulating policy objectives with the goals and targets
established as priorities as the main body

2. Individuality required
Pursuit of unique motivated standpoint
In the treatment of goals and targets, the setting of tailor-madepolicy objectives that reflect the unique position of the local
government is recommended.
Efforts to highlight individuality can enhance thepotential of the local government
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Selection of Indicators, and Evaluation of Progress Status
1. Selection of indicators
Review of 230 indicators, and selection of indicators that canmeasure the progress status of initiatives based on goals andtargets

2. Review of feasibility of use
Does the indicator match the purpose of use?
Is it possible to collect the data required for thecalculation of indicator values?

3. Proposal of individuality
Propose unique indicators if there are no existingindicators that match the purpose of use.
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Guidelines for theImplementation of SDGs atthe Local Government Level(Published in March 2017)

Applying the globally
universal language of SDGs
to community development

わた しのま ちに とっ てのSDGsfor OurCity Goals）–SDGs（SustainableDevelopment
エスディージーズ

Guidelines
for Introduction－導入のためのガイドライン－
Author: Sub-committee for the Review of Local
Government SDGs (Chair: Shuzo Murakami)
Established under the Institute for Building
Environment and Energy Conservation

Edited by: Sub-committee for the Review of Local Government SDGs
Published by:

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Structure of Guidelines
Step 1: Understand SDGs
Step 2: Systems for initiatives
Step 3: Policy objectives and targets to be achieved
Step 4: Progress management based on indicators
Step 5: Follow-up and PDCA
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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation

Thank you for your kind attention.

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Shuzo Murakami, Institute for Building Environment and Energy Conservation