The Tokyo Bay eSG Project is the brainchild of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The upcoming project is a sustainable city built along the Tokyo Bay waterfront and central breakwater reclamation area. The project was announced back in April 2021 by the Governor of Tokyo. The ideology behind the birth of this small-scaled city along the bay was to counteract the destruction caused in the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had adverse effects on the economic and development sector, stranding Tokyo from world development and hampering its growth in several aspects. Hence, the Tokyo Bay project is predicted to be unformidable to future challenges and be a model of sustainability and innovation for the country and the world. The project will reclaim the old title of the world’s most advanced city. Hence, it stimulates the creation of a monopoly of innovation, technology, investments, and sustainability in the world market.
The eSG and ESG Principle
The city structure is based on the ESG principle of Environment, Social and Governance and its historical significance. The father of Japanese capitalism, Shibusawa Eiichi envisioned sustainable cities and social remittances due to economic development. Goto Shinpei, the former mayor of Tokyo devised the city reconstruction plan to address the destruction caused by the Great Kanto earthquake. Hence, the eSG abbreviates Environment, Ecology and Economy, and the spirit of Shibusawa Eiichi and Goto Shinpei. The amalgamation of eSG and ESG ideologies will carve this abode of future innovation and technology.
The Haven of Sustainability
To realise the eSG a set of strategies needs to be adopted like achieving net zero emissions and creating a city of amalgamation of abundant water and greenery. To overlook the future, there must be a widespread use of cutting-edge digital technology and implementation of technological resources and their field testing. The implementation of green finance and transportation accessibility will enhance the lifespan of the project.
The future vision of the Tokyo Bay eSG project depicts a collaborative style of urbanscape where it promotes harmony between the people, landscape, and water. This ideology of bringing in biodiversity with nature is the driving force of this project. The urban development strategy also involves the creation of people-oriented spaces through tourism resources, making full-fledged use of the waterfront area. This close connection with nature amidst the open skies will pursue the goal of realising sustainability and safeguarding the environment. The free flow of people is directed by the ease of mobility transportation networking and zero-emission vehicles. The architecture of the urban scape is in correlation with the water scenery and is also safe regarding the climatic conditions.
To further reduce the carbon emissions, the building materials used have been replaced by wood and promote three-dimensional greenery. The live open space also promotes the modern reconnecting with the culture, history, food, architecture and four seasons of Tokyo. The reclamation of these aspects will attract the city, the country and eventually the world towards the bay. The utilisation of technology also involves the use of self-driving kitchens and delivery robots. The high quality and quantity of the landscaping concerning the climatic conditions further enhances the holistic approach of the live open space.
The nighttime vision of the project promotes the use of the urban space for recreational activities such as camping and community festivities which promote coexistence. The creation of architecture which has nightlife is the major aspect of this vision.
The Future Vision
The future vision of the Tokyo Bay eSG Project involves several stages and area-based strategies which will mould the project.These backcast strategies involve in the creation of an attractive sustainable urban space which will draw the people towards biodiversity, the urban development shall also cater to preventive measures for natural disasters.The development will be completely brought about by eminent technologies and their field testing before implementation. The complete vicious cycle of these strategies will aid the regeneration of the Bay area as the vision of the people ,by the people and for the people. The prime factor binding the Tokyo Bay eSG project to the entire city,country and the world is through the development in ease of mobility transportation networking.
The creation of a splendid waterfront area by creating a consistent green network along the workpieces with skyscrapers having green roof, intermediate balconies and a three dimensional green geometry. Another converging factor is the enhancement and development of the urban sports park around the Ariake Sports centre, which held the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, to commemorate the legacy of the games and also the sea forest aquatic stadium and park at the Uminomori park. The vision of having a swimmable waterfront area has steered the quality control of the water and its disposal from the sewage treatment plant . For which combined rainwater harvesting systems and green infrastructure have been adapted to strengthen the water resources.The climatic response development involves the raising of seawalls,utilisation of seismic preventive technologies in combination with mobility technology such as drones.
The Technological Piers
The extraordinary technologies are the base foundation of the Tokyo Bay eSG project. Manoeuvring the vision of a zero-emission decarbonized city are these cutting – edge innovative renewable energy generation technologies. A revolutionary mechanism of generating solar energy through floating solar plants , is a step ahead towards the ideals of the project.An alternative fuel generation of hydrogen from wind energy as a source is an exceptional solution. The use of new generation mobility transportation and flying cars or volocopters is another mind boggling factor. An alternative to the conventional building material, the recycling of wood waste into particle boards is being used.The project has received global attention and has technologies implemented from all over the world.
Ocean Driven Technology
The project has expanded the horizons for ocean-inclusive research and technology and encourages the use of the ocean as a valuable resource for generating energy and also promoting biodiversity.
A City of Future and Beyond
The Tokyo Bay eSG project has created an incorrigible and broadened perspective towards the cities of the future and the urban scape of tomorrow. Grounded along the basic principles of creating a sustainable city using cutting edge technology.The city is envisioned with creating a model example for Japan and eventually the globe. The use of a plethora of sustainable technologies have answered the questions of years of creating a zero-emission, decarbonized city winded around by environment , social and governance factors.
References:
Government, T.M. (2023) Tokyo sustainability action|basic plans of tokyo|office of the …, https://www.seisakukikaku.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/. Available at: https://www.seisakukikaku.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/basic-plan/sustainability-action.html (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Government, T.M. (2024) パートナー一覧、 東京都政策企画局東京ベイｅＳＧプロジェクト. Available at: https://www.tokyobayesg.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/esgpartners/list.html (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Government, T.M. (2022). tokyo: Tokyo Metropolitan government.
Tokyo Metropolitan (2022) 東京ベイｅＳＧまちづくり戦略, 東京ベイｅＳＧまちづくり戦略 | 東京都都市整備局. Available at: https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/seisaku/esg/index.html (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Government, T.M. (2022a) Tokyo Bay eSG Town Development Strategy 2022, https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/seisaku/esg/index.html. Available at: https://www.toshiseibi.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/seisaku/esg/data/esg2022_all.pdf (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Technologies, S. duck (2022) SolarDuck will build Japan’s first offshore floating solar …, https://solarduck.tech/solarduck-will-build-japans-first-offshore-floating-solar-demonstrator-in-tokyo-bay/. Available at: https://solarduck.tech/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Tokyo-Bay-Releaseenglish1208-1FGV_tlc1209.pdf (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Ltd., M.O.S.K.L. (2023) Mol joins Tokyo Bay ESG 2023 priority project – wind hunter, Zero-emission project using wind power and hydrogen, will be key element -: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. Available at: https://www.mol.co.jp/en/pr/2023/23121.html (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Government, T.M. (2021) Future Tokyo: Tokyo Bay ESG Project, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZI39em_02w. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZI39em_02w (Accessed: 26 January 2024).
Government, T.M. (2022b).
Matsuyama, K. and Huang, G. (2022) Tokyo Bay development seeks to build city of the future, Bloomberg.com. Available at: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-08-30/tokyo-bay-development-seeks-to-build-city-of-the-future (Accessed: 27 January 2024).
