Thanks to Japan for Sustainability, an update on the goals and activities that local governments in Japan have adopted in order to address the issue of global warming. The study classifies the actions in three categories: (1) providing incentives for activities that will contribute to curbing global warming, (2) establishing partnerships among actors, and (3) securing policy effectiveness through regulatory methods.

In the late 1990s, the small town of Kuzumaki in Northern Japan started transforming itself into a living laboratory for alternative energy sources.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is showing great leadership in its efforts to address climate change. This article from Japan for Sustainability describes some of the strategies the TMG has undertaken.

Kyoto's Miyako Green Power Certification System aims to promote "local production for local consumption" of solar power as a way of helping curb global warming.

Japan is known for innovation, and the contents of the Japan for Sustainability newsletter don't disappoint. There's a lot going on in the field of sustainability in Japan; both social and technical advances are documented here. Read for inspiration, edification, and a global perspective.

The statistics showed that the household electricity demand in 76 municipalities was completely satisfied by renewable energy sources, and that more than 20 percent of the demand in four prefectures was covered by renewables. Micro-hydropower generation accounted for a majority of this renewable power, and is particularly appropriate for Japan's steep topography and abundant precipitation.

Having transformed itself from a ‘gray’ polluted city to a progressive ‘green’ one, Kitakyushu (Japan) is making further improvements, hoping to achieve the title of the world capital of sustainable development.

In Japan, the 'green economy' isn't just about recycling materials and saving energy. The Eco Business Creation Association in the Kanagawa prefecture is a network organization of 16 companies and local governments collaborating on areas as diverse as developing "refurbish-able" products and facilitating citizen-business partnerships for local economic and social betterment.