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Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG)

[TMG] TOKYO GREEN BIZ (Tentative name) ~ Green Urban Development ~

2023.08.08

Press release
PDF ver.

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  The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will launch a new project “Tokyo Green Biz (tentative name)” to enhance the value of Tokyo’s greenery by working together with various business (biz) entities, and to pass it on to the future by cooperating with Tokyo citizens, with our eyes set on the next 100 years.


○  Green Urban Development for the Next 100 Years
  The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has pushed ahead with the “Find your Green Tokyo! Project” to promote efforts to both quantitatively and qualitatively “increase” the city’s greenery, by creating and protecting greenery through every possible opportunity.
  Meanwhile, as we turn our eyes to the situation surrounding greenery in cities in recent years, the functions required of cities and people's values have changed. This can be seen in the “use of greenery to help solve social issues” such as adaptation to climate change and a growing “need for open green spaces, etc.” triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  Cities overseas have also been taking various initiatives, including installing green infrastructure systems, with an ever-greater emphasis placed on the harmony between the natural environment and urban functions the world over.
  Under these circumstances, the TMG will launch a new greenery project called “Tokyo Green Biz (tentative name).” With our eyes set on the next 100 years, we will work together with Tokyo citizens to further enhance the value of greenery, giving a sense of ease and richness to people’s daily life, and pass our urban green spaces to the future.
  By reinforcing our initiatives to “protect,” “increase and maintain,” and “utilize” the greenery in Tokyo, we will propel the greening of the city and the conservation of biodiversity, thereby evolving the city into a sustainable one that exists in harmony with nature.
  “Humans” are but a small part of the natural environment. Yet, each and every one of us, as individuals, hold the key to pursuing harmony between the natural environment and urban functions. We must connect people with nature, and with one another, to pass on the city and its rich greenery to future generations. Under the banner of “Tokyo Green Biz (tentative name),” we will begin “Green Urban Development” for the next 100 years.


○  What is “Tokyo Green Biz”?
  GREEN (Greenery, Trees and Green Spaces) × BIZ (Business: Enterprise)
  Launching the “New Project on Greenery,” which is to be promoted in cooperation with various entities for Tokyo’s greenery.


[TOKYO GREEN BIZ ~Green Urban Development~]
  A concept to enhance, in cooperation with Tokyo citizens, the value of Tokyo’s “greenery” and pass it on to the future by “working together with various business (biz) entities,” with our eyes set on the next 100 years.


○  Green Initiatives Taken to Date
  Positioning the “Find your Green Tokyo! Project” as part of the “Future Tokyo: Tokyo’s Long-Term Strategy,” we have steadily pushed ahead our efforts to increase greenery, including creating greenery in conjunction with parks and urban development in Tokyo, and preserving scarce agricultural land.
  ・Development of urban planning parks and tracts of land
  ・Preservation and utilization of productive green land and agricultural land
  ・Utilizing public spaces to create places of lush greenery where people can relax
  ・Formation of networks of greenery by utilizing existing greenery
  ・Development of marine parks
  ・Promoting the designation of greenery-conservation areas
  ・Development to support the conservation of biodiversity
  ・Creation of green spaces according to private-sector development


  *Please see the attached file about “Changes in the total area of metropolitan parks open to the public,” “Changes in the green coverage ratio in three wards in central Tokyo,” “Designation status of specified productive green land.”


  It has become necessary to respond to changes in circumstances surrounding greenery as we are sought to: utilize greenery to help solve social issues such as storm and flood damage, which have become increasingly devastating due to climate change; to meet a growing need for open green spaces, etc., triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic; and to “put the accumulated benefits of greenery to full use,” including those gained in the post-quake reconstruction, with the passage of 100 years after the Great Kanto Earthquake.


○  Examples of Major Items to Consider in the Future
  By strengthening our efforts to “protect,” “increase and maintain,” and “utilize” the greenery in Tokyo, we will promote the greening of the city and the conservation of biodiversity, for instance, thereby evolving Tokyo into a sustainable city that is in harmony with nature.


(1) Efforts to “Protect” Greenery
  ・New mechanisms to protect trees
  ・Preserving the greenery on farmland
  ・Promoting the preservation of natural tracts of land


 (2) Efforts to “Utilize” Greenery
  ・Working together with Tokyo citizens
  ・Promotion of agriculture and forestry sectors
  ・Utilization of natural tracts of land


 (3) Efforts to “increase and maintain” greenery
  ・Demonstrate the benefits of greenery and nature
  ・Accelerating the development of parks
  ・Expanding the greenery
  ・Creating networks of greenery


○  Items to Consider in the Efforts to “Protect” Greenery (proposed)
  Establishment of a “Tree Bank,” a new mechanism to protect trees
  ・Preserving precious trees with care
  ・Utilizing those trees that need to be transplanted, for uses such as the development of parks
    *Please see the attached image about “Tree Bank”


○  Items to Consider in the Efforts to “Increase and Maintain” Greenery (proposed)
Performing the functions of greenery and nature: adoption of “green infrastructure systems”
  ・Utilizing the functions of the natural environment to help solve social issues
  ・Promoting green infrastructure systems at facilities owned by the TMG, and privately-owned facilities, etc.
    *Storm water infiltration greenbelt (rain garden), Rooftop greening (The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Building’s rooftop), Multi-natural river development (Nishi-Tokyo City) (Please see the attached images)


○  Items to Consider in the Effort to “Utilize” Greenery (proposed)
  Working together with Tokyo citizens: “Tokyo Green Biz Movement”
  ・Collaborating to utilize and nurture greenery by planting trees, together with Tokyo citizens
  ・Invigorating “Tama no Mori (wooded lands in the Tama district, western Tokyo),” by making use of the Forest Environment Concession Tax, etc.
  *Tree-planting event, Planting and cultivating of trees at Umi-no-Mori (Sea Forest)  park, Maintaining and managing the greenery by working together with Tokyo citizens (Please see the attached images)



[Contact]
Planning and Coordination Division, Office of the Governor for Policy Planning, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
TEL: 03-5388-2131
E-mail: S0015001@section.metro.tokyo.jp

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