Green Tokyo sets the stage for a Sustainable future

When it comes to technology, the Japanese are always ahead of the rest of the world. So when it comes to the world’s smart cities, the Japanese capital city of Tokyo is also leading the way, especially when it comes to keeping the city as green as possible. Tokyo aims to be as green as possible and is striving to decrease CO2 emissions by 75% by 2020. In order to accomplish this goal, the city’s government has enforced certain restrictions, and a requirement for companies to reduce the emissions they generate or otherwise pay an indirect emissions tax. Any new building that is going to be constructed will need to produce a written environmental plan which will feature an evaluation of its environmental performance. Tokyo aims to become a city with no emissions very soon and its advancing measures from various aspects in order to achieve it.

The Tokyo City Authorities are working towards popularizing the usage of zero-emission vehicles among Tokyo’s public. While promoting these vehicles, the authorities are also working painstakingly hard to develop the infrastructure required to sustain zero-emission vehicles. All this is being carried out while paying strict attention to how the industry will change as the next-gen vehicles take over transportation and mobility in Tokyo. Plans have been put in place to start promoting the installment of chargers at apartments and condominiums so that owning a zero-emission vehicle becomes easier. Fuel-cell vehicles will also continue to keep enjoying the government subsidies on their purchase. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) is also planning to spearhead the effort by replacing old TMG-owned vehicles with electric vehicles as well as adding fuel cell buses to the Toei bus fleet.

All of Tokyo’s islands are witnessing an advancement of the “zero-emission island” initiative. The model project for making electric vehicles more popular among the people of Tokyo will continue on Hachijojima Island on a broader scale. The TMG is also conducting a detailed survey on each island’s usage environment and geographical conditions to enable a full scale diffusion of electric vehicles. Further studies are being conducted in order to start utilizing the island’s rich natural environment and utilize only renewable sources of energy to fulfil the needs of the islands.

After the Tokyo Olympics of 2021 (postponed from 2020 due to Pandemic crisis), the Olympic village will be turned into a smart-energy district using hydrogen energy. After an agreement is signed with the energy providers, work towards laying the hydrogen pipelines will start. The Tokyo Olympics will also serve as the showcase for Japan’s advanced environmental technologies, including partial operation of the hydrogen supply system. This is a part of the steady progress of Japan towards becoming a hydrogen powered society.

Tokyo’s version of an open public platform is called Cpass.io, which connects the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other sources of big data with government data, to enhance smart applications across Tokyo.

Cpass allows the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to share data with people and businesses. This data contains valuable information such as the flow of people or vehicles within the city, accidents, hazards, and sudden climatic changes. This data can be leveraged by the government and private sector players to create useful apps for the public to use.

Tokyo has set the stage, India too needs a platform like Cpass. And CiTility is just step forward towards creating a mobility platform connects the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and other sources of big data with government data, private entities to enhance smarter, safer and greener commute, trip planning.