Yokohama: A Green Hub in Asia
Cities, as the entities closest to citizens and business alike, are in a crucial position when it comes to climate action, and unless cities around the world work together, we won’t be able to meet the goals that have been set to preserve our environment, health, and way of life.
Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan, and has taken a leading role as a green city in promoting decarbonization in Asia and around the world through a variety of local initiatives and international collaborations.
Commitment to Net Zero Carbon by 2050
In 2018, Yokohama declared its goal as a city to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions (i.e. net zero carbon) by the year 2050, including a mid-term goal to drastically cut emissions by 2030 (Source: City of Yokohama). Yokohama was one of the first Japanese cities to set a net-zero decarbonization goal aiming at 2050, showing its leadership in forward-thinking policy measures. Since then, over 280 other cities and local governments in Japan (covering around 80% of the population) have followed suit and made similar declarations. (Source: MOFA, 2021)
City-to-City Collaboration
To stabilize global warming and to preserve the environment, synergy is needed across global efforts to decarbonize and implement new strategies. Yokohama has been actively promoting and engaged in city-to-city collaboration in this space for many years, creating opportunities for cities to collaborate with one another and share best practices.
For example, Yokohama has hosted the Asia Smart City Conference (ASCC) for over a decade, bringing together representatives from companies, governments, and academia, aiming to discuss the realization of sustainable cities across Asia. Yokohama also hosts biodiversity symposiums gathering experts from around the world to raise awareness to and discuss global environmental issues.
GREEN × EXPO 2027
In 2027, Yokohama will host the International Horticultural Exhibition “GREEN×EXPO 2027.” This World Expo, also known as a World’s Fair, is a global international event that will be a celebration of nature and sustainability, and also a showcase of nature-based solutions to climate change, providing a huge and global stage for cleantech and transformative innovations. As such, Yokohama is connecting with international organizations and companies focusing on decarbonization and “green transformation” innovations to create a launchpad for these much-needed solutions.
This event will form a crucial piece of Yokohama’s timeline toward massive decarbonization by 2030 and net zero carbon by 2050, and sharing these practices with the world.
SDGs × Climate Change
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations are 17 goals and their associated targets that describe a blueprint for a better world. More than 80% of the SDGs targets are directly related to climate change and its effects, and since the SDGs were announced and set in 2015, it has become clear that it is impossible to treat climate change measures and the promotion of the SDGs as separate issues.
Yokohama’s dedication to green initiatives, net-zero carbon, and city-to-city collaboration has been guided by the SDG framework.
For more information on the SDGs and individual goals: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Voluntary Local Review:
Tracking the progress of the SDGs in Yokohama, Japan.
SDG Leadership Cities Network:
Yokohama’s position in the vanguard cities for the promotion of SDGs.
Urban Solutions:
Yokohama’s global cooperation for urban solutions: Y-PORT
(External link).
Standing with Ukraine:
Supporting international peace and justice.
Yokohama’s Sustainability Efforts in Japan and Abroad
SDGs playbook for cities published by Brookings Institution highlights Yokohama’s international cooperation
A compilation of how-to briefs on advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was locally compiled by the Brookings Institution. This on-going compilation features member cities (including...
Y-SDGs certification system launched by Yokohama city and financial institutions to support SDG promotion
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Global Sustainability Startup Pitch Event
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‘Zero Carbon’ achieved at New Yokohama City Hall Building
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SDG Leadership Cities Third Convening: Toward recovery from COVID-19 through the perspective of SDGs
The Office of the City of Yokohama Rep. to the Americas participated as the representative of Yokohama city in the third convening of the SDG Leadership Cities Network hosted for the first time...
Interlocal cooperation during the COVID-19 crisis
Like many other nations around the world currently, Japan has been experiencing a shortage of surgical masks due to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the country. In an attempt to remedy this...