344
that one organization that participated in the event donated all the day’s profits to
cleaning the ocean and helping to reduce atmospheric CO 2 .
Despite these early successes, however, there is more work to do in the future,
such as advancing the research initiated by the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project. In
addition, credits are currently given exclusively for the reduction of CO 2 emissions
through local seaweed production. We are working to create new methodologies
aimed at energy-saving measures in coastal zones through cooperation with the port
sector and to expand the project and number of credit creators. To date, creating
carbon credits by eating seaweed is not possible from the viewpoint of natural carbon cycling. However, Yokohama City also hopes to foster research to develop a
credit mechanism for seaweed consumption.
Yokohama City officials are pleased that the Yokohama Seaside Triathlon is
gaining a reputation as an environmentally friendly event. At present, however, the
contribution of participants is the major funding source of the projects, with that of
citizens being minor. Therefore, city officials need to publicize the importance of
local support for the triathlon by building a more open, easy-to-understand structure
for citizen participation in the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project. Likewise, it is necessary to simplify procedures while ensuring reliability of the guidelines and forms
used to implement the credit system to reduce the burden on registrants and build a
truly sustainable scheme.
Finally, with the aim of building a sustainable city that interweaves the environment, society, and the economy, methodology for promotion and expansion of the
value of costal zones and citizens’ interest in the sea must be investigated. This will
require effective public relations and environmental awareness activities, while
highlighting the ocean’s potential and co-benefits, such as climate change mitigation, food supply, disaster prevention, and sightseeing, all with the cooperation of
private industry, academia, and government agencies.
12.6 Conclusions
In the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
ratification of the Paris Agreement, and a recognition that the world must move
toward zero CO 2 emissions during this century, awareness of environmental issues
related to the world’s oceans will undoubtedly improve. In the future, Yokohama
City should pursue efforts to invest municipal and corporate funds not only in forests, where the carbon offset scheme has already been constructed, but also in the
ocean to fully utilize its benefits.
The use of carbon offsets is a global warming countermeasure, but Yokohama
City officials also recognize it as an initiative that can be used to encourage citizen
enlightenment and environmental action. Furthermore, Yokohama City is working
to reaffirm the characteristics of the place where we live and is encouraging further
developments in sustainable urban design. Yokohama City officials also believe that
the model of the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project is applicable to other coastal cities
M. Nobutoki et al.
that one organization that participated in the event donated all the day’s profits to
cleaning the ocean and helping to reduce atmospheric CO 2 .
Despite these early successes, however, there is more work to do in the future,
such as advancing the research initiated by the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project. In
addition, credits are currently given exclusively for the reduction of CO 2 emissions
through local seaweed production. We are working to create new methodologies
aimed at energy-saving measures in coastal zones through cooperation with the port
sector and to expand the project and number of credit creators. To date, creating
carbon credits by eating seaweed is not possible from the viewpoint of natural carbon cycling. However, Yokohama City also hopes to foster research to develop a
credit mechanism for seaweed consumption.
Yokohama City officials are pleased that the Yokohama Seaside Triathlon is
gaining a reputation as an environmentally friendly event. At present, however, the
contribution of participants is the major funding source of the projects, with that of
citizens being minor. Therefore, city officials need to publicize the importance of
local support for the triathlon by building a more open, easy-to-understand structure
for citizen participation in the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project. Likewise, it is necessary to simplify procedures while ensuring reliability of the guidelines and forms
used to implement the credit system to reduce the burden on registrants and build a
truly sustainable scheme.
Finally, with the aim of building a sustainable city that interweaves the environment, society, and the economy, methodology for promotion and expansion of the
value of costal zones and citizens’ interest in the sea must be investigated. This will
require effective public relations and environmental awareness activities, while
highlighting the ocean’s potential and co-benefits, such as climate change mitigation, food supply, disaster prevention, and sightseeing, all with the cooperation of
private industry, academia, and government agencies.
12.6 Conclusions
In the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change,
ratification of the Paris Agreement, and a recognition that the world must move
toward zero CO 2 emissions during this century, awareness of environmental issues
related to the world’s oceans will undoubtedly improve. In the future, Yokohama
City should pursue efforts to invest municipal and corporate funds not only in forests, where the carbon offset scheme has already been constructed, but also in the
ocean to fully utilize its benefits.
The use of carbon offsets is a global warming countermeasure, but Yokohama
City officials also recognize it as an initiative that can be used to encourage citizen
enlightenment and environmental action. Furthermore, Yokohama City is working
to reaffirm the characteristics of the place where we live and is encouraging further
developments in sustainable urban design. Yokohama City officials also believe that
the model of the Yokohama Blue Carbon Project is applicable to other coastal cities
M. Nobutoki et al.