Message from Tokyo to COP30: Strengthening City Actions under the Spirit of Mutirão and the Concept of Multi-city Lateral Cooperation
On October 7, 2025, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government hosted the “Time to Act Forum 2025 — Connecting Mitigation and Adaptation Actions from Cities to the World”, Japan’s first Town Hall COP. The Forum brought together high-level representatives from Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, the United Nations University, the World Bank, the Embassy of Brazil in Japan, the British Embassy in Japan, as well as the Cities of Freetown, Melbourne, Taipei, and Quezon, making it a significant high-level gathering.
Prior to the main sessions, youth representatives also had the opportunity to present their own initiatives to the speakers using panels, creating an inclusive event that connected participants across generations and levels.
Mr. Fumiaki Kobayashi, State Minister of the Environment of Japan, highlighted that, while significant reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions are required, leadership from local governments, which are responsible for around 70% of global emissions, is particularly crucial. He also referred to the Joint Outcomes Statement on Urbanization and Climate Change issued at COP28, and the seminar hosted by ICLEI Japan at the Japan Pavilion at COP29, which focused on multi-level cooperation, reaffirming the importance of cities and their leadership.
H.E. Octávio Henrique Côrtes, Ambassador of Brazil to Japan, stated that Brazil, as the COP30 Presidency, has introduced the concept of Mutirão, which is a Portuguese term meaning collective effort, to highlight the role all stakeholders must play in addressing climate change. He also commended Governor Koike for advancing a similar idea through her concept of Multi-city Lateral Cooperation.
Governor Koike introduced Tokyo’s advanced initiatives, including solar mandates for newly constructed buildings and efforts to convert used cooking oil from households into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). She also proposed the concept of “Multi-city Lateral Cooperation” and concluded with the release of a Joint Message that refers to the NDCs and reaffirms the crucial role of cities in driving decarbonization and resilience through collaboration with national governments and other stakeholders.
➡️The official event page can be found here. The recording is below.
