23 May 2018: A group of 22 cities have issued a declaration, outlining a vision of sustainable consumption and production (SCP), proper waste management and reduced health risks in cities and committing to undertake a range of initiatives to realize this vision.

The Tokyo Declaration on Realization of Clean Cities & Clear Skies, adopted at the conclusion of the Tokyo Forum for Clean City & Clear Sky, recognizes the role of cities in achieving the SDGs, noting that they serve a “concrete and active role” in delivering the Goals and leaving no one behind. It builds on the concept of “mottainai” (the Japanese for “too precious to waste”), and puts forward a vision of cities that reduce waste generation, recycle materials and detoxify their respective environments. The Declaration further highlights the need to reduce concentrations of air pollutants to increase health outcomes for residents (SDG target 3.9).

Cities commit to cooperating with C40 Cities, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Japan International Cooperation Agency and the World Bank.

To improve resource efficiency, participating cities will undertake measures on reducing food waste (SDG target 12.3), waste prevention and recycling (SDG target 12.5). The participating cities will also position themselves to become leaders in waste management (SDG target 11.6), in part through the sharing of best practices and the strengthening of global partnerships. In realizing the Declaration’s vision, cities commit to cooperating with international organizations and institutions such as C40 Cities, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the World Bank.

The participating cities are: Auckland, Bangkok, Beijing, Changwon, Copenhagen, Durban, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Milan, Paris, Quezon City, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo, Tomsk, Ulaanbaatar, Yangon and Yokohama.

The Tokyo Forum for Clean City & Clear Sky was organized by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) and held from 22-23 May 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. The Forum’s plenary and parallel sessions mirrored the Declaration, with discussions on the role of cities in aiming for a sustainable urban environment; cooperation among cities to improve waste management; challenges for clean air and healthy cities; and global partnerships for sustainable urban environments.

Opening remarks by Helen Clark described a common vision for cities that is articulated across the SDGs, Paris Agreement on climate change, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA) and New Urban Agenda (NUA). [Tokyo Declaration on Realization of Clean Cities & Clear Skies] [Tokyo Forum for Clean City & Clear Sky]