8 Municipalities Win 2005 Awards for Sustainable Regional Development

Eight winners of the 2005 awards for sustainable, symbiotic and participatory approaches to regional development were announced by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment on January 12, 2006. The awards are presented annually to municipalities that have achieved outstanding results in community-based sustainable development in view of various issues ranging from the global environment to recycling. Twelve municipalities had been nominated by as many prefectural governments.

The winners are Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture, Futatsui Town in Akita Prefecture, Tatebayashi City in Gunma Prefecture, Nerima Ward in Tokyo, Himi City in Toyama Prefecture, Natasho Village in Fukui Prefecture, Kamiishizu Town in Gifu Prefecture, and Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture. The ministry's aim through these awards is to encourage winners for their activities rooted in local communities and showcase them for other municipalities to see.

Of the eight municipalities, Tatebayashi, which has many swamps, has focused on greenery and water through cooperation with citizens in environmental activities. For example, the city has been planting trees in the city and running the Green Bank Program since 1984. Under this program the city picks up unwanted trees from households and gives them to citizens who do want them. In 2000, the city started a program to invite applications to be owners of azalea trees planted in public spaces like streets. Since fiscal 2002, the citizens have been measuring temperatures at more than 70 points in the city to draw temperature maps of the city. The city has also been pouring water on roads in summer to fight against the summer heat, and covering school windows with green "curtains" of climbing plants.

Nishinomiya, as another example, has been engaging in environmental education since 1992. Its eco-card system established in 1998 has helped students participate voluntarily and continuously in educational programs for the environment at home, in the community and at schools. In December 2003, the city declared itself the first "Environmental Education City," in Japan to promote various environmental activities to raise awareness of citizens and businesses.

http://www.env.go.jp/en/index.html

Posted: 2006/04/17 11:48:33 AM
Japanese version