Overview
Kitakyushu City has received international recognition for its efforts to overcome environmental challenges while supporting economic growth. In 2011, the OECD selected Kitakyushu, a modern industrial city, as the first "Green Growth City" in Asia to be assessed under its Green Growth Cities Program, together with Paris, Chicago, and Stockholm. In line with its vision of realizing a circular economy, Kitakyushu actively collaborates with international initiatives such as the United Nations Environment Programme, undertaking several supporting activities, including projects promoting solutions to the problem of marine plastic litter in Asian waters.
Kitakyushu, which became a partner city of the TDLC's City Partnership Program in 2017, has been providing its expertise and knowledge in solid waste management and other areas through Technical Deep Dives and other events. This has helped provide new perspectives and solutions for urban development practitioners and government officials working on solid waste management and environmental issues in client countries. In addition, as part of its Operational Support program, TDLC dispatches representatives and experts from Kitakyushu to client countries to assist with knowledge exchange and application efforts overseas.
Key topics of engagement
Solid waste management
Circular economy
- Environment and marine litter
Voice of the city
“Since we became a partner city of the City Partnership Program, we have accomplished a lot of projects with the World Bank, including contributing to the report "Kitakyushu Model Subsector: Interplay between Solid Waste and Urban Flood Risk", delivering Technical Deep Dives on solid waste management, and dispatching our experts to Panama City to assist on Operational Support projects. We will continue to leverage the World Bank network to promote our city's international environmental policies and contribute to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals globally.”
Mayumi Oda, Executive Director, Overseas Environmental Project Department, Environment Bureau, City of Kitakyushu
Key recent collaborations
- Ocotober 2021
A city official from Kitakyushu shared some of the insights and key consideration in designing and promoting smart city solutions towards reducing carbon emissions and the lessons learned at the 10th Asia Smart City Conference: World Bank Session. - Ocotober 2021
City officials from Kitakyushu introduced and discussed the Kitakyushu Model, which is the city’s popular approach for solid waste management supporting circular economy development at the Virtual Technical Deep Dive: Solid Waste Management and Circular Economy. - July 2021
An official from Kitakyushu showcased their schemes and facilities for energy-efficient waste management, including waste-to-energy at the World Bank Knowledge Sharing Series on Low Carbon and Climate-Smart Cities #2: Energy-Efficient Solid Waste Management. - October 2020
Kitakyushu partnered with TDLC to deliver the first virtual Technical Deep Dive on Solid Waste Management where city officials and experts from Kitakyushu introduced their case studies and solutions. - November 2019
Kitakyushu partnered with TDLC to deliver a Technical Deep Dive on Solid Waste Management. On day 3 of the event, Kitakyushu and TDLC co-organized an “International Symposium: Challenges and Approaches to Addressing Problems of Marine Litter and Ocean Plastic” in Kitakyushu in which approximately 500 people participated. - October 2019
An official from Kitakyushu made a presentation on its smart city initiatives during the World Bank session at the “8th Asia Smart Cities Conference” co-organized by the World Bank and Yokohama City. - November 2018
Officials and experts from Kitakyushu accompanied TDLC on its Operational Support mission to Panama City, where consultants from the International Environmental Strategies Division of Kitakyushu’s Environment Bureau provided lessons and shared experiences on solid waste management and flood management. - September 2018
An official from Kitakyushu presented at a Technical Deep Dive on Solid Waste Management. - March 2017
An official from Kitakyushu presented at a Technical Deep Dive on Solid Waste Management.
*As of November 2021
Key Publications
