Twenty-six locations in 19 prefectures were selected as the first step for the "decarbonization-preceding areas" in which the national government selects local governments aiming for "decarbonization" by 2030 ahead of the rest of the country.
The national government wants to support the "decarbonization" efforts in each region by prioritizing the allocation of budgets and to use it as an opportunity to spread it nationwide.
The "decarbonization precedent area" is an area that will realize decarbonization by 2030, such as reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with electricity consumption to virtually zero, and the national government plans to select 100 or more locations over a period of about three years.
There were applications from 79 locations nationwide for the first screening, and a total of 26 locations from 19 prefectures were selected as the first screening.
Of these, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, will install solar panels and large storage batteries on idle land owned by the city to realize "decarbonization" in "Himeji Castle" and the surrounding area, and Sado City, Niigata Prefecture will abandon cultivation. We aim to install solar panels on the ground and build a system that efficiently uses energy on the island.
In addition, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture will take advantage of the characteristics of the region where forestry is thriving, and will promote the expansion of power generation facilities that use biomass as fuel.
In addition to the local government alone, there are cases where efforts are being made by multiple local governments, such as Kitakyushu City, which was selected jointly with the surrounding 17 cities and towns, and in collaboration with local companies and universities.
The government will support the efforts of the "leading region" by preferentially allocating the newly established budget of 20 billion yen this year.
In the future, we will continue to make selections at a pace of about twice a year, and hope to use this as an opportunity to spread "decarbonization" nationwide by 2050.
26 locations in 19 prefectures that are "decarbonized leading areas"
A total of 26 locations in 19 prefectures have been selected as "decarbonized leading areas".
▽ In Hokkaido, there are three locations: Ishikari City, Kamishihoro Town, and Shikaoi Town.
▽ In the Tohoku region, there are three locations: Higashi Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture, Akita City, and Ogata Village, Akita Prefecture.
▽ In Kanto Koshinetsu, there are five locations: Saitama City, Yokohama City, Kawasaki City, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, and Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture.
▽ In Tokai and Hokuriku, there are two locations, Shizuoka City and Nagoya City.
▽ In the Kinki region, there are five locations: Maibara City, Shiga Prefecture, Sakai City, Osaka, Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture, Amagasaki City, and Awaji City.
▽ In the Chugoku region, there are four locations: Yonago City and Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture, Onan Town, Shimane Prefecture, Maniwa City, Okayama Prefecture, and Nishiawakura Village.
▽ In the Shikoku region, one place in Yusuhara Town, Kochi Prefecture.
▽ In Kyushu and Okinawa, there are 17 local governments in and around Kitakyushu City, Kuma Village, Kumamoto Prefecture, China Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, and Wadomari Town.
By prefecture, Hokkaido and Hyogo prefectures have the largest number of 3 locations each, Akita prefecture, Kanagawa prefecture, and Okayama prefecture each have 2 locations, and the others have 1 location.
Environment Minister Yamaguchi "Regional'decarbonization'is more important than ever"
Regarding the selection of "decarbonization-preceding areas," Minister of the Environment Yamaguchi said at a press conference after the Cabinet meeting on the 26th, "Many local governments have made ambitious proposals, and projects that can be devised in various ways are lined up. Due to the situation in Ukraine, the movement of "decarbonization" in the region is becoming more important than ever, such as the local production and consumption of domestic energy on its own. I hope that we will realize "decarbonization" in the region and that it will be the starting point and spread like a domino to all parts of the country. "