No.93 Town planning for regional cyclical and ecological spheres

In the Fifth Environmental Basic Plan approved by the Cabinet in April last year, in light of international trends such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, as well as increasingly complex environmental, economic, and social issues, The creation of a "regional circulation symbiotic sphere" was proposed.
A local recycling-based symbiotic sphere aims to realize a local recycling-oriented society by maximizing the use of local resources and forming an independent and decentralized society, while also complementing each other and building a broader network. .
"Circulation" in the regional circular symbiotic sphere means that all materials continue to circulate through all stages of economic and social activities such as production, distribution, consumption, and disposal, as well as through the natural world. In order to properly ensure this cycle, it is important to reduce the input of materials, energy, and other resources as much as possible, promote resource circulation, and promote local economic circulation while reducing the burden on the environment.
"Coexistence" in the regional circular symbiotic sphere includes coexistence between nature and people, coexistence between people, and interactions between cities and regions such as rural areas, mountains, and fishing villages.
Based on this idea, aiming for integrated improvement of the environment, economy, and society will ultimately lead to low carbon, resource conservation, and securing biodiversity.
Here we would like to introduce some of our recent initiatives.
Roundtable discussion for building a platform for creating a regional circular and coexistence zone
A roundtable discussion chaired by Mayor Iida of Nagano Prefecture was held to exchange opinions with Ministry of the Environment officials, and I have been participating since August last year.
National Association of Mayors “Special Committee on Waste Disposal Measures”
I serve as the committee chairperson, and to date we have focused on waste treatment measures and recycling systems, and have achieved some results. On the other hand, in recent years, global warming countermeasures, SDGs, and regional circulatory and symbiotic spheres have become issues, and environmental issues have become more complex and diverse. Taking the opportunity of being re-elected as chairperson in June of this year, I proposed reorganizing this committee into the ``Environmental Measures Special Committee'' and increasing the number of participating mayors, and the process is currently underway.
Regional Circulation and Coexistence Social Cooperation Association, General Incorporated Association
This corporation aims to make the most of local resources and develop specific initiatives aimed at building a "carbon-free, recycling, and cohesive society" that the world aspires to.The founding general meeting was held in August of this year. , I became a director.
One of my pledges during my third term as mayor was the creation of a regional circular and symbiotic sphere. The promotion of the SDGs is also a very big issue, and we will work on it together in the future.