Plenary 5 (PL-5)
  • 29 July 2025
  • JST 16:00 - 17:00 (GMT+09:00)
  • 503 + Online
  • Simultaneous interpretation

Leveraging Co-Benefits for Healthy Net-Zero Transitions in Japanese and Other G7 Cities

Before viewing

This footage is a direct recording of the meeting proceedings, and therefore it contains parts in both Japanese and English.
Please use the YouTube subtitles (CC) function as needed.

How to display the subtitles:
  1. Click the settings icon at the bottom right of the video screen.
  2. Select “subtitles” → “English (auto-generated)”.
  3. Under “English (auto-generated)”, select “auto-translate” and choose your preferred language.

Note: For example, if you select Japanese, subtitles will not be displayed for Japanese speech, and only the English portions will be shown with Japanese auto-translation.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Summary

This session focused on how climate change mitigation efforts can generate significant co-benefits for local communities, and how maximising these benefits can accelerate a city's transition to a net-zero future. A key theme was integrating climate action with health and well-being, using concrete examples from various cities to show how this approach can contribute to sustainable local development and resilience.

Kaoru Akahoshi from IGES provided an overview of the "Wellcome Project," which includes three cities from Japan, Paris and Austin. The project aims to quantify and visualise the diverse co-benefits of climate action—such as improved health and economic gains—to support evidence-based policymaking for decision-makers and the public.

Following this, representatives from each city shared insights and initiatives from their participation in the project.

  • Mr. Eiji Nakamura of Hachinohe City noted that the project provided valuable lessons, particularly from European and American cities' approaches to heat countermeasures and a strong emphasis on equity for vulnerable populations. He highlighted how Hachinohe learned to view Nature-based Solutions (NbS), like urban greening, not just for aesthetic improvement but as multifunctional spaces that serve as cooling spots and enhance mental health for citizens.
  • Ms. Reiko Kondo of Kawasaki City reported on the city's heat management actions, which uses heat maps, and on its public workshops designed to promote behavior change. She emphasized that quantifying and visualising co-benefits is crucial for helping citizens and other stakeholders see climate action as a personal matter.
  • Mr. Takashi Kaminoyama of Niigata City addressed the city's unique challenge of rising sea surface temperatures along the Sea of Japan coast, highlighting the need to integrate both mitigation and adaptation strategies. He pointed out the co-benefits of transitioning to renewable energy and electric vehicles, which not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also decrease PM2.5 particulate matter. He stated that the project's analysis—which showed PM2.5 reduction could save an estimated 753 lives from premature death—provides a crucial fact for demonstrating the cost-effectiveness of policies. However, he also stressed the urgent need to establish a system for incorporating scientific findings into local government policy cycles and to maintain continuous collaboration with experts.

Next, Dr. David Eaton from the University of Texas presented an evaluation of Austin's climate policies. The analysis projected that promoting active mobility (walking and cycling) could generate about USD2 billion in health-related economic benefits by 2040, and that heat mitigation measures could reduce emergency healthcare spending by approximately USD9,000 per day during the summer. These findings clearly demonstrated the direct economic benefits of adaptation strategies. Mr. Togo Uchida of ICLEI Japan stressed that visualization tools are essential for making policy decisions and gaining public understanding of complex issues like climate change, biodiversity loss and air pollution. However, he warned that tools alone are not enough; the critical next step is to use them to build a social movement that engages diverse stakeholders. Finally, Mr. Ryan Leung from the Wellcome Trust emphasised the project's significance, stating that approaching climate change through the lens of health can help promote both mitigation and adaptation efforts.

Key Messages
  • Cities are crucial actors in the transition to a net-zero future. For local governments, an approach that addresses climate change—a global challenge—while also pursuing local co-benefits like improved community health is highly effective.
  • The Wellcome Project bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and policymaking, shedding light on the various benefits that climate action brings to local SDGs.
  • Through multiple consultations, co-benefits analyses and inter-city learning, the project provided a clear path to visualising the multiple, often hidden, co-benefits of climate action. This is expected to foster greater understanding and promote behaviour change among citizens and other stakeholders.

Panel Discussion

Framing Presentation
AKAHOSHI Kaoru, Research Manager, Integrated Sustainability Centre / Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IGES
Moderator
Eric ZUSMAN, Programme Director / Director of Integrated Sustainability Centre, IGES
NAKAMURA Eiji, Deputy Counselor, Environmental Policy Division, Hachinohe City
KONDO Reiko, Assistant Manager, Kawasaki Environmental Research Institute (KERI)
KAMINOYAMA Takashi, Section Chief, Environmental Policy Division, Environmental Affairs Department, Niigata City
David J. Eaton, Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin
, Executive Director, ICLEI Japan
Ryan LEUNG, Research Manager, Mitigation, Climate and Health Team, Wellcome Trust
AKAHOSHI Kaoru

AKAHOSHI Kaoru

Research Manager, Integrated Sustainability Centre / Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, IGES

Eric ZUSMAN

Eric ZUSMAN

Programme Director / Director of Integrated Sustainability Centre, IGES

David J. Eaton

David J. Eaton

Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin

Executive Director, ICLEI Japan

UCHIDA Togo

UCHIDA Togo

Executive Director, ICLEI Japan

Born in the UK and growing up in Melbourne and Tokyo, Togo started his career at Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) working on donor coordination and aid policies. Gradually, his interest shifted to environmental policies and climate change, and spent over 8 years in Thailand and Cambodia as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Project Formulation Adviser on Climate Change and Environment. After serving one year at Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) as Programme Manager for promoting SDGs in cities in ASEAN countries, Togo has assumed the position of the Director of ICLEI Japan from July 1st, 2018.

Ryan LEUNG

Ryan LEUNG

Research Manager, Mitigation, Climate and Health Team, Wellcome Trust

photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo
photo