Makassar taps Yokohama expertise for zero-carbon transport and energy transition

The Makassar city administration in South Sulawesi has partnered with the Yokohama municipal government in Japan to strengthen the Zero Carbon City Project, focusing on transportation and energy—two of the main contributors to carbon emissions in urban areas.

Through a workshop titled “Zero Carbon City Project with Focus on Transportation and Energy through City-to-City Collaboration between Makassar City and City of Yokohama,” the two cities shared experiences, technologies and best practices in designing a transition toward a low-emission city.

Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin said in Makassar on Tuesday that the collaboration underscored how climate change and urban decarbonization had become a global agenda that required cross-sector cooperation.

“The project is designed as a structured, multi-year program oriented toward tangible results in the form of measurable carbon-emission reductions,” he said.

Munafri said that in the transportation sector, the cooperation would study the adoption of real-time or autonomous traffic-control technologies to reduce congestion, improve travel efficiency and curb emissions from motor vehicles.

He added that Makassar was also encouraging the development of electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure, including charging stations and solar-powered e-bike facilities, particularly in priority decarbonization areas.

In the energy sector, he continued, the project would open opportunities to develop renewable energy and energy-saving technologies, including rooftop solar power systems, the use of newer-generation solar technology and studies on the potential use of industrial waste heat.

Munafri stressed that the approach aligned with Makassar’s commitment to raising the share of clean energy and improving energy efficiency in both the public and private sectors as the foundation for long-term, low-carbon development.

“We realize that the transformation toward a zero-carbon city takes time, policy consistency and support from all stakeholders. But with strong collaboration, Makassar can take an active role in the global climate-change agenda,” he said.

Japanese Consul for Makassar Ohashi Koichi, meanwhile, described Makassar as a strategic city for developing sustainable and environmentally friendly smart-city initiatives in Indonesia.

He welcomed the planned signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) involving ASEAN-Japan and business groups on electric-vehicle cooperation, including plans to establish a joint venture and local assembly facilities that are expected to boost regional economic growth, human-resource development and job creation.

“City-to-city cooperation supported by the private sector like this is a real implementation of the Smart City concept. We hope the Makassar–Yokohama collaboration can serve as a model for sustainable urban development in ASEAN,” he said.

Indonesianpost.com | Antara