Local Climate Action

An interactive map and digital database on climate mitigation and

regional development in Japan and elsewhere

Daniel Kremers DIJChristian DIMMER Waseda UniversityWCPC 2016FukushimaNovember 3-4, 2016

CRISIS

Transition Design acknowledges that we are living in transitional

times, with change as new normal. TDs central premise is the need for perpetual
societal transitions from less to more sustainable futures and argues that design
has a key role to play in these transitions. TD applies an understanding of the
interconnectedness of social, economic, political & natural systems. It identies

wicked problems and addresses them at all levels of spatio-temporal scale

with quality of life as central metric. TD advocates the re-conception of entire

lifestyles, with the aim of making them more place-based, convivial & participatory
and harmonising them with the natural environment. TD focuses on the need for

cosmopolitan local-ism. Everyday life is viewed as a potentially

powerful, trans-formative space where transition designers explore ways in which

basic human needs are satised locally, within alternative economies that exist to
meet those needs.

Intentional action to enhance the personal and collective capacity of its citizens and
institutions to respond to, and inuence the course of social and economic change.

community

Center for Community Enterprise, 2000

The ability to respond to crises in ways that strengthen community bonds,

resources, and the community's capacity to cope. Chenoweth, 2001

resilience

Community resilience is the capability to anticipate risk, limit impact, and bounce
back rapidly through survival, adaptability, evolution, and growth in the face of
turbulent change. CARRI, Community & Regional Resilience Institute, 2013

empowerment

There are 3 interlocking dimensions of empowerment: 1) development of a more

positive & potent sense of self, 2) construction of knowledge and capacity for a
more critical comprehension of the web of social and political realities of ones
environment, and 3) cultivation of resources & strategies, or more functional
competence, for attainment of personal & collective goals. Judith Lee 2001

what holds us
back?
fragmented landscape of knowledges/networks (solar, wind, RE, other climate action)
expert knowledges dominating Japan; locking out non-experts, hinder diusion
global issues too abstract, too removed from everyday, co-benets not clear
focus on top-down, high-tech solutions fail to empower citizens as co-creators
diculty to match like-minded people, communities

what we need for

transitioning
multiple translations (local to global, expert to non-expert, expert to expert)
diverse local responses in many socio-environmental/ technical domains and scales
incubation of social innovations require creativity, openness, inspiration
mutual (local-to-local), open-access learning, mashing up of ideas for diusion
easily accessible toolkit for non-experts; direct link between local innovators

CRISIS

DANGER
OPPORTUNITY

Ezio Manzini. 2009. The Small, Local, Open, Connected Scenario

shared issues, diverse solutions

renewables as

..means for revitalisation

Linking Action to Knowledge

single projects not municipalities per se
featuring any kind of climate action
co-creation with the mapped for
community building
if project: a) climate relevant, AND b) in
community-based control, OR c) majority of
socio-economic benets distributed locally
translation for non-expert publics, visualise
co-benets
fostering inter-localisation, matching

What is it?
Digital database on local
climate protection in Japan
Interactive multi-language map
Social network for local
communities, enterprises,
NGOs and citizens
Online survey and research tool

Why do we do it?
Climate neutral economy means using local
& renewable resources more eectively
and sustainably
Lower energy consumption in production,
lighting, cooling, heating, & transport means
lower expenditures for local communities
Decentral energy production from
renewable resources means higher
revenues for local communities
Pays o socially in better living
environment, more meaningful jobs, better
public services

The Map
Web-based (html), open street
map
Multilingual: English, Japanese,
German
Interactive and intuitive lter
options (plone server)

The Survey
Online survey (lime survey)
Multilingual: English, Japanese, German
Participants can be owners, operators,
and initiators of local climate mitigation
projects
Collects data on technical, political, and
economical aspects of local climate
mitigation projects in Japan
Data is checked & edited by editorial
team

The Projects
Technical categories: Energy
generation, fuels, energy, saving,
building, mobility, forestry,
recycling, carbon sequestration
Ownership: Municipality, local
business, local NGOs
Location: Prefecture, Municipality,
Geo-Data

The Network
Survey participants can create
proles,
add one or more projects, and
gain access to more detailed
information on other
participants and their projects
Can present themselves and
their projects to an
international audience

Local Climate Action

An interactive map and digital database on climate mitigation and
regional development in Japan and elsewhere

Daniel Kremers DIJChristian DIMMER Waseda UniversityWCPC 2016FukushimaNovember 3-4, 2016