AUGUST 2024 | RESEARCH VISIT TO ZUSHI CULTURE CENTRE

Venue: Zushi Culture Centre, 5-2-16 Zushi, Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture, 249-8686, Japan

On August 29, 2024, SCO visited the Zushi Culture Centre, which serves as the hub for Climate Citizen Assemblies in Zushi and Hayama! This initiative empowers local citizens to propose ideas for inclusion in the cities’ climate action plans.

During our visit, we gained firsthand experience of the climate actions being discussed, with key takeaways:

• The assembly includes advocates for climate action from diverse backgrounds, genders, and age groups.

• Monthly meetings, held from July to December, are attended by the Climate Action Netizen group, IGES representatives, and local government officials.

• Zushi has already integrated public proposals into its environmental plan, while Hayama is still developing its own decarbonization strategies.

• Out of 96 submitted climate action proposals, 18 were selected for further consideration by the Mayors of Zushi and Hayama.

Some of the exciting initiatives proposed include:

Promoting bicycle use in Zushi and Hayama to reduce car dependency.

Creating a safe bicycle route map with access to local shops and water refill stations.

Proposing the installation of solar panels as a renewable energy source for the region.

Exciting progress toward a more sustainable future!