324
offered a great deal of encouragement. In addition, the city government set concrete
numerical targets, such as “reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 30% or
more by 2025 compared to 2004” and prepared comprehensive measures to combat
global warming.
The headquarters developed a comprehensive approach to environmental management, including hard areas such as urban development, architecture, roads, and
harbors and soft areas such as citizens, education, health and welfare, children,
young adults, and so on. However, it was not easy to raise the awareness of global
warming issues in departments that did not directly oversee environmental management. It took additional budget and extra work to accomplish that.
These initiatives required not only energy conservation in the city but also energy
creation, energy storage, and technologies related to the construction and renovation
of buildings and houses, as well as establishing economic adaptability, effective
environmental education represented by Education for Sustainable Development,
and citizen activities. The headquarters thus continued to communicate with department heads to understand what each required to advance these initiatives in a balanced manner. It was also necessary to fully use the power of citizens.
The natural conditions of Yokohama City also include lush green forests and
agricultural fields. However, of the 140 km of coastline in Yokohama City, the natural and restored beaches that are accessible to citizens are only about 1 km, with the
rest occupied by industrial and port facilities. Taking all of these facts into consideration, Yokohama City officials are making the best use of these resources while
pursuing a new city structure that will help to mitigate global warming.
12.2.2 Yokohama Green Valley Initiative
Along with 12 other cities, Yokohama City was designated as an Environmental
Model City in a program established by the Japanese government in 2008. The
theme of Yokohama City’s proposal was “achieving a zero carbon lifestyle in a
mega city by demonstrating citizen power through sharing knowledge, expanding
options, and promoting action.”
The Yokohama Green Valley Initiative was established as one of the pillars of
being selected as an Environmental Model City. Similar to Silicon Valley in the
United States in the information and communication technology field, Yokohama
Green Valley is nomenclature that implies a concentration of companies working in
the environment and energy fields. The coastal area of Kanazawa Ward was selected
as a model because it has about 1000 small and medium-sized companies and various public facilities and universities, and it is the only area with natural coastline in
Yokohama City.
Yokohama Green Valley became the basis for implementing the Yokohama Blue
Carbon Project. Three key items of the Green Valley concept are described below.
M. Nobutoki et al.
offered a great deal of encouragement. In addition, the city government set concrete
numerical targets, such as “reduce per capita greenhouse gas emissions by 30% or
more by 2025 compared to 2004” and prepared comprehensive measures to combat
global warming.
The headquarters developed a comprehensive approach to environmental management, including hard areas such as urban development, architecture, roads, and
harbors and soft areas such as citizens, education, health and welfare, children,
young adults, and so on. However, it was not easy to raise the awareness of global
warming issues in departments that did not directly oversee environmental management. It took additional budget and extra work to accomplish that.
These initiatives required not only energy conservation in the city but also energy
creation, energy storage, and technologies related to the construction and renovation
of buildings and houses, as well as establishing economic adaptability, effective
environmental education represented by Education for Sustainable Development,
and citizen activities. The headquarters thus continued to communicate with department heads to understand what each required to advance these initiatives in a balanced manner. It was also necessary to fully use the power of citizens.
The natural conditions of Yokohama City also include lush green forests and
agricultural fields. However, of the 140 km of coastline in Yokohama City, the natural and restored beaches that are accessible to citizens are only about 1 km, with the
rest occupied by industrial and port facilities. Taking all of these facts into consideration, Yokohama City officials are making the best use of these resources while
pursuing a new city structure that will help to mitigate global warming.
12.2.2 Yokohama Green Valley Initiative
Along with 12 other cities, Yokohama City was designated as an Environmental
Model City in a program established by the Japanese government in 2008. The
theme of Yokohama City’s proposal was “achieving a zero carbon lifestyle in a
mega city by demonstrating citizen power through sharing knowledge, expanding
options, and promoting action.”
The Yokohama Green Valley Initiative was established as one of the pillars of
being selected as an Environmental Model City. Similar to Silicon Valley in the
United States in the information and communication technology field, Yokohama
Green Valley is nomenclature that implies a concentration of companies working in
the environment and energy fields. The coastal area of Kanazawa Ward was selected
as a model because it has about 1000 small and medium-sized companies and various public facilities and universities, and it is the only area with natural coastline in
Yokohama City.
Yokohama Green Valley became the basis for implementing the Yokohama Blue
Carbon Project. Three key items of the Green Valley concept are described below.
M. Nobutoki et al.