After a delegation of members of the Frankfurt Energy Department had visited Yokohama in April this year for first talks within the framework of the International Urban Cooperation (IUC) project and had collected information and solutions for common problems regarding climate and demographic change, the return meeting took place in the Frankfurt Energy Department.

With the IUC project, the EU connects European cities with cities outside Europe, so that they can work together as a team on solutions and ideas for sustainable and environmentally friendly urban development, as well as general problems, such as the effects of the aging population and declining birth rate. In particular, the cities are also looking for approaches that involve citizens.

The Frankfurt delegation was able to visit facilities with the highest energy efficiency in Yokohama and, conversely, offered the delegation from Yokohama the opportunity to visit passive houses and facilities that save energy, produce their own or reuse energy generated from waste heat.

Based on the slogan “A goal without a plan is only a wish”, Frankfurt explained how by 2050 the energy demand will be met 100% by renewable energy sources and how citizens, as well as organizations, should be supported in their contribution against climate change.

In return, Yokohama once again discussed the Smart City Choice and Virtual Power Plant projects, which had already been presented during the delegation’s visit to Yokohama. This allowed both sides to present best practice examples and discuss the possibility of jointly developing such projects.

In detail, this meant that the delegation from Yokohama had the opportunity, among other things, to see Frankfurt Zoo, where environmental education and conservation of nature and species are taught especially for the younger generations, and to visit Frankfurt Airport, where the latest energy-saving technologies are used.

Our representative office supported this lively exchange between the two cities with a translator, an appointment at the Japanese Consulate General in Frankfurt and by joining the inspection tour.

The past meetings show that both cities are well on the way to achieving their climate protection goals together and implementing more sustainable urban development.