On 8 September 2017, Japanese local and regional governments released the Nagano Declaration at the Local Renewables Conference 2017 in Nagano, Japan to show their support for a future in which cities and regions are fully powered by renewable energy.
The Nagano Declaration recognizes that cities and regions in Japan are facing population decline and slow economic growth that require local and regional governments to step in with new ideas and strong local policies.
Through the Nagano Declaration, released at the Local Renewables Conference 2017 in Nagano, Japan, Japanese local and regional governments have voiced their support for switching from imported, fossil-fuel based energy sources to local renewable energy resources. For them, it is an opportunity to generate new forms of employment, strengthen the local economy and lay the foundation for sustainable urban areas that improve the quality of life for residents.
With around 500 participants from all over Japan and overseas, the Local Renewables Conference 2017 offered an opportunity for local and regional governments, energy service providers, business representatives and experts to jointly to push ahead towards a 100 per cent renewable energy future for Japanese cities and regions.
This conference was a special edition of the Local Renewables Conference Series initiated and organized biannually in Europe by ICLEI and the City of Freiburg, Germany. The Nagano edition was hosted by the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Nagano Prefecture and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
