15 Whitehall office
In November, JLGC held our Annual Seminar online this year and looked at collaborative actions to promote carbon neutrality among local and regional governments in Japan and the UK.
The Seminar followed our Japan Study Tour earlier this year to Tokyo and Kagoshima, where participants from across the UK local government observed the decarbonisation efforts of Japanese local governments in situ.
After our Director General Akira Matsutani opened the event by setting out the parameters and context of the decarbonisation challenge in Japan, Toshifumi Fukuyasu of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Environment spoke on the role of mandating photovoltaic power systems in new developments in Tokyo. Shuhei Sato of the “Machigoto Ecotown” Promotion Section of the Tokorozawa City Government outlined how it intends to become a Zero Carbon City by 2050 by promoting renewable energy, ‘smart houses’ and other initiatives.
We then convened a panel discussion between a range of UK partner organisations to examine how their counterparts in UK cities also address the challenges of decarbonisation. Will Mapplebeck at Core Cities UK (a participant on our 2023 Japan Study Tour) spoke on how UK cities are utilising the 3Ci (Cities Commission for Climate Investment) platform to collaborate and innovate around climate finance, while Conor Carey of London & Partners addressed the role of international cooperation between the two capitals’ startup ecosystems in promoting sustainable business growth, in particular the upcoming ‘SusHi-Tech’ innovation summit being held in Tokyo next year.
Nick Porter of the Local Government Association explained its international work benchmarking local climate actions and the innovative work happening in UK local councils. Sean Owen outlined how the Greater Manchester Combined Authority engages in the low carbon agenda for the city region, not least the upcoming delegation to Tokyo and Osaka being led by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and UK-Japan Trade Envoy Greg Clark MP.
Thanks to all our speakers, registered guests and Heather Jameson, Editor of The Municipal Journal, for another ably moderated seminar alongside FROG Events.
