Tokyo Transport Forum Signals Japanese Leadership on Global Green Initiatives

Tokyo, 19 January 2009 – Tokyo 2016 last week welcomed the arrival of transport officials from across the world for the Ministerial Conference on Global Environment and Energy in Transport (MEET) - maintaining the city’s position as a world leader in sustainability initiatives. Tokyo promises to offer the Olympic Family and spectators the most advanced and efficient transportation system during the most compact Olympic Games ever.

The Bid to bring the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Tokyo in 2016 is one of the most sustainable in Olympic history and will offer the world’s top athletes the best environmental conditions in which to train and compete, despite the Tokyo metropolitan area being home to 30 million people and the nation’s transport hub. The heart of Japan’s vibrant capital city therefore provided a suitable setting for representatives of 21 countries - accounting for approximately 60% of the world’s carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions from transport - to seek ways of promoting international cooperation in curbing emissions and advancing sustainable development.

Hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) from 14-16 January, MEET saw G8 members Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States represented in addition to Australia, India, South Korea and the ASEAN member nations. Also participating were delegates from nine international organizations, including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat.

The commitment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) to sustainability has been demonstrated in recent months by the city’s adoption of every initiative put forward by planners from major world cities at the C40 Conference on Climate Change in October 2008 – an event also hosted by Tokyo.

The city government is dedicated to making Tokyo the city with the lowest environmental load in the world through standard-setting measures to combat climate change. The implementation of the Tokyo Carbon-Minus Plan (seeking a 25% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2020) combines the use of the world’s leading energy-saving technology, renewable forms of energy, and plant life.

Tokyo 2016’s innovative Games vision strongly builds on this. The majority of venues in an ultra-compact venues plan are already in existence, with many having staged events during the 1964 Olympic Games. Sustainability is further boosted by the plan’s inclusion of temporary event venues where appropriate, while zero- or low-emission public transport vehicles will be used wherever possible. Tokyo will also gain lasting benefit from the 1000 hectares of new greenery due to be planted in central Tokyo as part of an unprecedented urban transformation for a major world city.

Dr Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of Tokyo 2016, said:

“Tokyo continues to be a leader in environmental policy. As the issue of climate change continues to challenge the global community, our city has introduced some of the strictest regulations and most advanced green technology in the world. The Bid is committed to this path and is determined to learn from international best practice through conventions such as this.

“Our opportunity to host the Games in 2016 coincides with Tokyo’s Big Change - a ten-year plan for the comprehensive urban and environmental transformation of Tokyo by the year of the Games. Sustainable development will allow Tokyo 2016 to provide athletes with a healthy competition environment and future generations with a priceless legacy. We hope that the whole world can be in Tokyo to see this come to fruition, allowing us to truly unite our worlds through Tokyo 2016.”

Source: Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee

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Tokyo 2016