Prior to COP 3 - Third Municipal Leaders Summit on Climate Change, October 1995, Saitama, Japan
On 24 - 26 October 1995, the Saitama Prefecture and ICLEI, in collaboration with the Environment Agency of Japan, hosted the "Third Local Government Leaders' Summit on Climate Change," gathering 200 local governments from 55 countries worldwide to discuss the imminent problem of global warming, and to mobilise local action for climate protection. The Saitama Summit was particularly significant as it was ICLEI's first gathering in the rapidly industrialising and urbanising Asian region.
Summit participants exchanged information on innovative municipal programs, engaged in discussions on the role of local governments in climate protection, and adopted the Local Government Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change. The Declaration called for the launch of the "Asian Cities for Climate Protection Campaign" to encourage local governments in the Asian region to create local action plans for climate protection, and supported proposals from Saitama Prefecture to create a centre for the collection and distribution of information and a "World Environment Prize."
Former President of Costa Rica and 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate Mr. Oscar Arias Sanchez gave the Commemorative Address entitled, "Peace, Development, and the Environment: We Can Make a Difference," and was followed by Tohoku University President Prof. Junichi Nishizawa's Keynote Address on "Global Warming, Lifestyles, and Social Reform."
The main outcome of this Summit, the Saitama Declaration, was presented to the Third meeting of the COP at the UNFCCC in Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997.
More information: The Saitama Declaration