A First for Japan’s Public Universities: The Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation Declares Climate Emergency – Aiming at the Realization of a Sustainable Society –

In recent years, global warming, caused by the extensive greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activity, has become an increasingly serious issue, and we are experiencing extreme weather events every year. In response to this climate crisis, countries around the world have issued Climate Emergency Declarations, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality (net zero emissions) by 2050.
In the face of this serious climate crisis, the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation is hereby issuing its own Climate Emergency Declaration to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and take the lead in contributing to achieving a sustainable society.

Climate Emergency Declaration by
the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation

With humankind facing a serious climate crisis, the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation hereby declares a climate emergency in order to take the initiative in contributing to the realization of a sustainable society and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

We will:

1. Develop action plans for mitigation and adaptation of the climate change and reflect these activities in our operations as well as in education, research, and campus life.
2. Collaborate widely with government and local authorities, other university corporations and related organizations, the general public, and private sector corporations.
3. Develop human resources who will tackle the challenge of achieving carbon neutrality.
4. Collaborate and cooperate with three educational institutions and promote efforts for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including the climate change, by working with faculty, staff and students throughout the Corporation.

July 16, 2021
YAMAMOTO Ryoichi, Chairperson, Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation
OHASHI Takaya, President, Tokyo Metropolitan University
KAWATA Seiichi, President, Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology
WATANABE Kazuhito, Principal, Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology

* The full text of the declaration is available here: “Climate Emergency Declaration by the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation” (English translation provided).
* This declaration is based on the viewpoints solicited from faculty and students at the Tokyo Metropolitan University, the Advanced Institute of Industrial Technology, and the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology that are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation.

Future Initiatives

Henceforth, as part of efforts based on the Climate Emergency Declaration, the Tokyo Metropolitan Public University Corporation will develop an action plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. We will also assume a leadership role in helping to achieve a sustainable society by participating in the University Coalition for Carbon Neutrality, established on July 29, 2021, strengthening our research and study functions, and releasing environmental reports.