Report 2 Progress status of Climate Citizen Assemblies held in multiple cities in Kanagawa Prefecture Motoko INADA, Director Institute for Dialogue of Environmental Policy (IDEP) This report partially contains excerpts/summaries from the results implemented/discussed at t the following meetings: •   Decarbonization Strategy Headquarters Office of Environmental and Agriculture Bureau (Kanagawa Prefectural Government)  Atsugi Climate Citizens Assembly Steering Committee (Atsugi city) Kanagawa Climate Citizens Assembly in Zushi & Hayama Steering Committee .
 Denen Toshi Aoba • Climate Citizens Assembly Steering Committee . Decarbonization Kawasaki Citizens Assembly Executive Committee . Document prepared by Masaharu YAGISHITA (Representative Director of IDEP) •
i. Kawasaki city (population: 1,545,385) “Decarbonization Kawasaki Citizens Assembly” Held six times in total during  May to Oct 2021 ii. Atsugi city (population: 223,930) “Atsugi Climate Citizens Assembly” held six times in total during Jun. to Nov. 2023 iii. Zushi city (population: 55,937) and Hayama town(population 31,017) “Kanagawa Climate Citizens Assembly in Zushi & Hayama” held five times in total during Jul. to Dec. 2023 iv. Aobadai, Yokohama city (population: 308,795) “Denen Toshi Aoba • Climate Citizens Assembly” to be held during Nov. 2023 to May 2024 And more (currently under consideration)
2-1 Decarbonization Kawasaki Citizens Assembly
•  Kawasaki is the second city in Japan to host a Climate Citizens Assembly (following Sapporo city). Japan's first full-scale event (75 people) •  Organized by Decarbonization Kawasaki Citizens Assembly Executive Committee (consisted of 7 volunteers: researchers, practical experienced staff and NPO etc.) *supported by multiple private activity grant funds and research funds •  Co-sponsored by IDEP and Kawasaki Center for Climate Change Actions *Initiatives by private sector (cooperative relationship with Kawasaki Mayor and City) •  Citizens selected at random deliberated during the assembly. Results was summarized/announced officially as "Citizen Proposals" (77 items) and submitted to the Mayor and city authority for use in formulating Kawasaki City’s policy (Kawasaki City’s Basic Plan for promoting measures against global warming) as a statement to the world. •  Assembly was held five times via online and once face-to-face. Discussions were encouraged as a whole, and also in groups, and by theme. •  After the meeting, public relations, evaluation, and platform(follow-up activities) was implemented
2-2 Background of the three assemblies held in FY2023
Kanagawa Prefecture Project "Outsourcing actions of decarbonization awareness/permeation for young people and local communities" •  Department in charge: Decarbonization Strategy Headquarters Office of Environmental and Agriculture Bureau (Kanagawa Prefectural Government) •  Planning/outsourced company: JV of Institute for Dialogue of Environmental Policy (IDEP) and IGES Strengthening awareness/permeation concerning decarbonization and leading to behavioral change by perceiving decarbonization a personal matter, in order to encourage young people to switch to a decarbonized lifestyle and facilitate it in each local area led by local communities. i.  Planning and operation of decarbonization education for high school students ii.  Planning and operation of decarbonization workshops for university students and young working adults iii. Planning and operation of regional workshops for regional decarbonization • Purpose: • Content:

i. Purpose
Conduct workshop facilitating regional decarbonization in which various local communities can participate in collaboration with municipalities/local organizations. Also, develop these workshops as a part of a program that can be developed sustainably. ii. Implementation It was conducted in the following three municipalities/regions. 1) Zushi City and Hayama Town Area 2) Aoba ward (Yokohama City) area 3) Atsugi City area (supported by Kanagawa prefecture) iii. Feature of the workshop held in the areas above “Climate Citizens' Assembly method” was adopted in all of the assemblies, in order to create a place where the general public can deliberate. 3 Development of Climate Citizen Assembly in Kanagawa prefecture - Precedent: Broader collaboration as a Kanagawa Prefecture projects 1) “Decarbonization Kawasaki Citizens Assembly” as a precedent •  As the second city in Japan to host a Climate Citizens' Assembly, it was held for the purpose of reflecting citizens’ opinions (public opinion) in Kawasaki City’s policy formulation by the initiative of private sector. •  This precedent was intended to develop as a “Japanese” Climate Citizens Assembly and also to be a model for future events in other regions. •  After the meeting, assembly participants and related parties volunteered to follow-up the “Citizen Proposals” and launched a platform in order to facilitate decarbonization. 2) Citizen assemblies in three local governments/regions (as Kanagawa Prefecture project) - Citizen discussion as a breakthrough in decarbonization •  Upon business planning(Kanagawa Prefecture), it was understood that awareness and behavior regarding decarbonization has not been penetrated in the local community. => On the subject of decarbonization implementation, it was significant that place where the local citizens can participate the discussion by themselves should be created (e.g., local workshop). • This idea led to practical implementation(hosting Climate Citizen Assembly) in three local governments/regions (Atsugi city, Zushi city/Hayama town, and Aoba ward(Yokoh ama city)) by regional workshops planning/management. •  The forum for dialogue that Kanagawa Prefecture aims, includes various forms which depends on the situation and demands (not just the Climate Citizens Assembly). Concerning the development ot the place for dialogue and discussion, ıt is to be developed contınually as part of a polıcy package.
•  Multiple climate citizen assemblies in Kanagawa Prefecture was triggered by Kanagawa Prefecture’s efforts encouraging decarbonization (decarbonization awareness action) to various areas. •  By the information and discussion at t the Climate Citizens' Assembly, decarbonization-related information in each local government/region became known, and application of local human resource/specialist for decarbonization and collaboration among related parties was facilitated. •  Developing multiple assemblies simultaneously was effective for the participants among the four assemblies, so they can exchange information before/during/after the assembly, cooperate in planning and management, and also share their issues. •  The Climate Citizens Assembly focuses on having the general citizens (who makes up society) deliberate, compiling citizen proposals/action plans, and announce by forming mini-public. On the other hand, it is possible to expand the relationship in each local in the field of decarbonization so that the participants of the Climate Citizens Assembly deepen their interest in decarbonization and join in those efforts in each local areas where they weren’t involved before.
Q1) Do you think it was meaningful to participate the Citizens Assembly?
Q2) Would you like to participate in activities aimed to achieve the initiatives proposed by citizen proposals?
Effect of Japan’s Climate Citizen Assembly 1) Effects on local government/regional policies and democracy • Citizens as sovereign being aware of decarbonization and have opinions as stakeholders. ・Citizens as consumers work towards decarbonization as stakeholders. • Citizens as consumers collaborate within/across local governments/regions for decarbonization. Initially, Kawasaki City work on 1), and post-meeting platform take place for 2) . The assemblies of three local governments/regions in Kanagawa Prefecture is aiming at 2), and it is also expected that developments in individuals/society will lead to the impact of 1). ▷ Kanagawa Prefecture's policy is the first challenging practice in Japan to position and promote citizens' deliberations(including Climate Citizen Assembly) as a part of decarbonization measures at t he prefectural level. ▷ Concerning climate change countermeasures, efforts by municipalities are important, but broader cooperation and collaboration is also necessary. Kanagawa’s action to increase the venue of discussion on decarbonization from one to all over prefecture, can be seen as a new and important attempt at t the domestic Climate Citizens Assembly. ▷ As a secondary goal, the Climate Citizens Assemblies of the three local governments/regions is aiming that the participating citizens to become aware of themselves as stakeholders in decarbonization through their participation in the assemblies, and act as new leaders in promoting decarbonization in their local communities. Not just only reflecting their expectations in policies.