Last month, environment secretary Caroline Spelman formally launched her departmental waste review of how to reduce waste and increase reuse and recycling, while yesterday energy secretary Chris Huhne announced that local councils will be able to sell renewable electricity to the National Grid.
The fact that Huhne had to raise a national ban on councils in order to permit them to do this underlines the centralised nature of the public sector in England and the restrictions this places on authorities wanting to do more about sustainability.
In contrast, local authorities in other countries such as Japan have far more autonomy. Although strategic policies in areas such as waste and recycling are set by the national Japanese government and provides funding, each prefecture, or region, sets its own policies.
In March 2010, the Japanese cabinet approved its new CO2 emission target, pledging to reduce emissions by 25% by 2020 compared to the 1990 level, with a long-term goal of an 80% reduction by 2050.
In the prefecture of Kyoto, famous for being the home of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, there has been a basic environmental plan since 1998, but the prefecture is now setting policies to help it reach the 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emission by 2050.
Innovative initiatives
Both Kyoto city and prefecture authorities have set targets for recycling, but are also focusing on getting people to change their behaviour through a number of initiatives, including information about environmental policies and an annual environmental festival, which attracts some 350,000 visitors.
There have been other changes, too. For instance, opaque packaging used to be used for waste disposal, but now transparent waste packaging is used. The aim, according to the prefecture's associate director, is to encourage "public vigilance". There is a free phone service for people to report illegally-dumped waste and if people don't follow the rules correctly on waste separation and recycling, the waste is not collected. "So people are careful about disposing of waste," according to the official.
Other measures include the an "eco point" programme. Introduced by the Japanese government in May 2009, this initiative grants points to people when they are buying appliances, to encourage them to buy more energy-efficient devices. The points collected could be exchanged for a gift certificates, and enviromentally-friendly products, or they could be donated to environmental organisations.
In Kyoto, a similar points programme has been running since 2008, enabling people to acquire points when they reduce their use of electricity or gas. So far, some 4,400 households are participating in the scheme.
There are also financial incentives from both national and local authorities to encourage people to install solar panel systems in their houses. The aim is to have 15,000 households with a solar system and the prefecture is also experimenting with wind power.
As in the UK, regional authorities in Japan are keen to promote re-use and recycling not just by individual households, but also on the part of businesses and public bodies themselves. The Kyoto prefecture has set a target of reducing the amount of municipal solid waste collected from 260,000 tons in 1999 to 100,000 tons this year. Similarly, it aims to reduce industrial waste from its 1999 level of 370,000 tones to a target of 170,000 tons this year.
In addition to regulatory measures, the prefecture is also using taxes on industrial waste to encourage businesses to cut down on the amount of waste they produce. It also has a website to provide information but officials commented that at present, such advice is provided by non-profit organisations, or by private groups, rather than directly by local government.
New build emissions
The Kyoto area has not gone as far as the UK, however, in imposing emissions policies on new buildings. The prefecture is putting through a new law that will require private companies to use more recyclable materials in construction, but there is no zero carbon requirement on new buildings. There is, however, a ban on new buildings on certain historic areas of Kyoto city, which is, according to prefecture officials, widely respected. "There is no pressure to change that," said one official. "People try to conserve their traditional areas."
The two-tier Japanese local government system gives a lot of powers to local prefectures and cities or municipalities; but it does not have a strong structure for encouraging collaboration between different local authorities on issues such as sustainability and recycling. The Kyoto prefecture has also acknowledged the challenges in promoting sustainability policies across the private sector.
Jane Dudman's travel expenses in Japan were paid by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. They have had no say in the content of this article.
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