involving local government agencies, businesses, and citizens' groups.

It is hoped that environmental partnerships will expand throughout communities all over the country. Schools as the nucleus of local communities can be utilized for exchange among families and local residents as the bases of their environmental conservation activities.

Imari Hachigame Plan (“Hachigame” is the local name for horseshoe crab in Imari region of Saga Prefecture) is a specified non-profit corporation founded in 1992 by the associations of local restaurants and hotels with the aim of utilizing their garbage and waste oil as resources.

Hands on training in composting Photo: courtesy of Imari Hachigame Plan (NPO)

In the initial stage, it conducted surveys and research with the cooperation of Saga University, the local chambers of commerce, and various other institutions, and succeeded in installing an experimental composting plant in 2000. Groups participating in the plan are increasing yearly, with those who offer food waste expanding to general households, nursery schools, and many others throughout the community. The finished organic compost is offered to local farmers, and high value-added organic farm products made with the compost are consumed in local restaurants and at homes. (http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/ ~ hatigame/) (in Japanese only).

Environmental partnership creates cooperation and synergy among various actors and leads to the realization of a sustainable society. It invigorates citizens' activities through environmental conservation and serves as a driving force for revitalizing communities. One such attempt is in “community development centering on the environment.” Also, by assessing local needs, making decisions by working together with citizens, and implementing and managing projects with citizens, it becomes possible not only for local governments to choose more appropriate environmental policy, but also for citizens to realize a society where they voluntarily undertake environmental conservation activities.

In the future, it is hoped that these activities initiated in Japan spread throughout the world, and that international partnership in, for example, policy recommendation and global-scale environmental cooperation become even more active, thus leading to greater development of activities and eventually to realization of a sustainable society the world over.

## –Conclusion: From the New Basic Environment Plan to an Environmentally Advanced Nation–

With the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol on February 16, 2005, Japan, as a member of the international community, now has the obligation to fulfill its reduction commitment. Although not an easy task, Japan must keep its commitment, as it is the first step towards a low carbon society. Moreover, even after the commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol is over, it is necessary to continue reducing greenhouse gases over a longer period to stop ever-progressing global warming. To that end, with the collective wisdom of humankind, technological innovation must be promoted and each one of us must go through a consciousness revolution in order to expedite socio-economic transformation to reduce greenhouse gases in all our activities.

Currently, the government is re-examining the Basic Environment Plan, a comprehensive long-term plan on environmental conservation for the entire government. The New Basic Environment Plan will encourage all actors to aim at cultivating people so that they will voluntarily reduce environmental load such as greenhouse gases in all situations, and at devising systems that will enable transformation of socio-economic systems to incorporate environmental considerations. In building an environmentally advanced country, it is important to form environment partnerships through mutual cooperation of all actors. It is equally important to realize a virtuous circle for environment and economy, which improves the environment by invigorating the economy. By demonstrating a model for growth based on a virtuous circle for environment and economy, Japan will be able to lead the world as an environmentally advanced nation. And all this begins with our consciousness and actions driven by a desire to conserve our environment.