Promoting synergies at local level: Why are Local Governments strengthening synergies between climate agenda and sustainable development?

Recently, local and regional governments (LRGs) are actively engaging in both the climate agenda and the SDGs.

In Japan, around 52% of local governments, which accounts for  932 local governments, have SDGs plans or activity promoting SDGs through its activities as of 2021. This has been facilitated by the technical and financial support from the national governments, such as through the SDG Future Cities Programme started in 2018.

In 2018, four pioneering local governments presented their Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, out of which, three local governments were from Japan. Since then, a growing number of local governments in Japan and around the world have prepared and disclosed their VLRs as means to track their progress towards sustainable development. The number is exceeding 100 and likely to increase more.

LRGs are also active in the climate agenda. In mid-2019, three pioneering local governments in Japan set a goal of zero carbon by 2050. This number increased drastically with the support of the Ministry of the Environment which led the Japanese government to declare its net zero target by 2050 in October 2020. As of today, around 700 local governments in Japan have joined the declaration.

National governments are recognizing the importance of local actions on sustainability and climate neutrality. Glasgow Climate Pact and the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers' Communiqué both emphasised the importance of LRGs to achieve the two global goals and the need of national support to LRGs.