Tokyo Joins the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group

Headquarters of the Governor of Tokyo
Bureau of Environment

On May 31, 2006, the Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, signed a Partnership Agreement establishing a formal working level relationship between Tokyo and London for the purpose of jointly tackling common challenges facing both cities.

In connection with this, Tokyo has decided to participate in the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group (C20). The group, chaired by the Mayor of London, is an association of large cities dedicated to tackling climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The most serious environmental crisis confronting cities is climate change. Governor Ishihara believes that the noble aspirations of saving the future of the planet and humankind through each and everyone’s initiatives and each city’s endeavors is what we need to tackle this issue.

As one of the largest cities in the world which consumes vast amounts of energy, Tokyo should play a leading role in major world cities’ efforts to combat this problem.

In order to bring global warming to a halt it is necessary to dramatically reduce the world’s CO2 emissions by the middle of the 21st century. Henceforth, Tokyo aims to be a sustainable city by drastically cutting its CO2 emissions and thus serving as a role model in order to contribute to solving the challenges other world cities face in reducing CO2 emissions.

For that purpose, at the beginning of next year, a TMG-wide committee will be established and a new 10-year project will be launched to achieve major reductions in CO2 emissions in all sectors of Tokyo. Among other things increasing greenery and the use of renewable energy will be promoted throughout Tokyo in cooperation with the private sector and local residents. Through such measures Tokyo will become a city with the lowest burden on the environment in the world.

Through cooperation with other participating cities of the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, Tokyo, while learning from these cities’ endeavors and examples, would like to contribute to the efforts in fighting climate change by providing information and advice on the TMG’s advanced technologies and measures.

Recent news of the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group

• Greater London Authority Website

Tokyo and London conclude a Partnership Agreement on May 31, 2006

During an official trip to London, the Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara and the Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, signed a Partnership Agreement between the two cities.
The Governor exchanged views with the Mayor on such topics as Tokyo’s bid for the 2016 Olympics and London’s preparations and urban development geared for hosting the 2012 Olympics. They also discussed ways to solve some of the common challenges facing both cities by cooperating at the working level.