Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and Angelica Nunez, Manager of the World Bank Urban, Resilience, and Land Global Department in a group photo with other forum speakers.
Climate change poses a significant challenge to creating a livable planet. Cities play a vital role in both mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. The leadership of Tokyo in addressing climate change is a strong influence on other cities around the world.
On October 24, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government hosted once more the “TIME TO ACT Forum 2024”, an annual event that aims to encourage cooperation among cities, businesses, and NGOs around the world to promote decarbonization and climate change actions. The forum is also organized in Japan as a lead up to the Conference of the Parties or COP (this year’s COP being held in Azerbaijan this November).
The latest decarbonization event in Tokyo opened with powerful remarks from Governor Koike, who underscored the urgency of accelerating climate action. "It is our TIME TO ACT," Koike declared, highlighting the pressing need for cities worldwide to commit to effective, transformative measures toward a low-carbon future.
Following Koike's call to action, Angelica Nunez, Manager for the Global Urban Unit at the World Bank, presented an overview of the interconnectedness of global growth and climate resilience. Nunez emphasized that while population growth, especially in South Asia and Africa, is driving the global economy, these regions must navigate growth within the constraints posed by climate change. Nunez noted that achieving decarbonization requires commitment across all economic tiers—not only from developed nations but also from emerging economies.
Addressing the broader impacts of climate action, Nunez highlighted how combating climate change can lead to cleaner, healthier, more resilient cities. Yet, she noted, governments alone cannot shoulder the responsibility; international financial support, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building efforts are essential to effective climate action.
On World Bank’s role as a "Knowledge Bank," Nunez shared how the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC), celebrating its 20th anniversary, has become a vital resource for cities worldwide. TDLC has facilitated impactful knowledge exchange enriched by Japanese sharing of innovation and expertise in urban development expertise, providing valuable insights for client cities. Tokyo’s pioneering journey toward decarbonization serves as an inspiration to many, and Nunez affirmed TDLC's commitment to strengthening its partnerships with Tokyo and other Japanese cities in the years ahead.
Angelica Nunez speaks about the global context of decarbonization.