A delegation from the city of Yokohama visited the city of Frankfurt am Main in Germany to make a study tour under the International Urban Cooperation (IUC) project over the period August 20 – 22, 2018. There, the members engaged in an exchange of views on climate change initiatives and smart cities, and toured related facilities.

More specifically, the visit consisted of tours for learning about urban development in Frankfurt’s old town aimed at energy saving without sacrificing cultural and historical value, extensive use of low-carbon mobility in Frankfurt Airport, and environmental education for junior high school students. The members also shared ideas on the subjects of energy management, public awareness, hydrogen initiatives, and low-carbon transportation, which are being addressed by both cities.

Both Yokohama and Frankfurt aspire to be carbon-neutral cities and have common challenges, including cooperation with other regions and/or cities for increased input of renewable energy and transition to a decarbonized economy. For this reason, the two sides had extremely fruitful discussions.

The delegation found the Frankfurt system offering bonuses to homes and public facilities that attain energy saving targets particularly instructive, as it provides citizens and facility managers with incentive for energy saving. The Frankfurt side, in turn, was interested in the Yokohama Smart City Project and promotion of low-carbon mobility in the city.

The two cities concluded a partnership agreement in 2011 and have been deepening exchange in the fields of climate change initiatives, economic activities and promotion of culture, art and creative city. During this visit, they concluded a new agreement on exchange under the IUC project, and confirmed their commitment to further deepening exchange related to climate change initiatives and smart cities.

The study tour content therefore greatly raised expectations for the future advancement of exchange between the two cities. We are going to continue publicizing the achievements of this visit and other exchange through platforms such as the website of the IUC project.