Iki: An Island Committed to SDGs. The Challenge to Ensure Remote Islands Are Not Left Behind (Part 2)

Iki City in Nagasaki Prefecture actively pursues SDGs across the entire island while facing social challenges like population decline and aging. Selected as an "SDGs Future City" by the national government in 2018, it has worked on initiatives like smart agriculture and environmental education.

In the second part of our interview with Michihiro Shinozaki, Director of the SDGs Future Division at Iki City Hall, we discuss collaborations with external entities like research institutions and private companies, as well as the vision Iki City is pursuing. The interviewer is Takashi Fuji of Dentsu Inc., who works on carbon neutrality and blue carbon initiatives.

A "Triple Win" Collaboration for Citizens, Government, and Businesses

Fuji: I believe collaborating with many private companies is a major characteristic of Iki. For example, you conduct various demonstration experiments using the entire island as a field. It's an environment conducive to testing for companies too. Why is that?

Shinozaki: Even before being selected as an "SDGs Future City," we actively pursued cooperation agreements with private companies to revitalize Iki. Relying solely on the administration limits flexible thinking. It's crucial to incorporate diverse wisdom and ideas from outside the island, such as private companies and university research institutions. This approach ensures it's beneficial for the companies, beneficial for the city, and most importantly, beneficial for the citizens – truly a "win-win-win" situation.

Fuji: Could you share some actual examples of projects you're advancing in collaboration with other companies or research institutions?

Shinozaki: Take energy, for example. Iki Island isn't connected to the mainland by undersea cables or power lines, so all the electricity on the island is generated by the power plant located here. This plant uses thermal power generation, which means CO2 is emitted during operation. In the earlier "Climate Emergency Declaration," we pledged to transition all energy to renewable sources by 2050. However, the reality is that renewable energy remains highly unstable. Whether solar or wind power, achieving a consistently reliable supply is still a distant goal. Unfortunately, significantly increasing the amount of electricity generated by renewable energy itself is quite difficult. So, the idea that emerged as a solution is this: since electricity usage fluctuates depending on the time of day and season, if we can effectively store the surplus renewable energy generated and use it as needed, we might be closer to solving the problem.

Shinozaki: Within this context, a demonstration experiment is underway to store electricity using hydrogen. This is particularly interesting because it's being conducted in partnership with a land-based fish farm. This farm itself is somewhat unique; it's a facility that pumps up groundwater for aquaculture. Here, the pumps used to draw up groundwater operate 24 hours a day. Solar power is used to supply this electricity. Surplus electricity is then used to electrolyze water, splitting it into oxygen and hydrogen, which are stored in tanks. At night, when solar power isn't available, the hydrogen stored during the day powers fuel cells, which in turn operate the pumps. This system allows the pumps to run continuously, using solar power during the day and hydrogen power at night.

Furthermore, the groundwater used here has less oxygen compared to seawater. Therefore, the oxygen produced and stored through electrolysis is supplied to the water tanks. Previously, an oxygen generator had to be installed specifically to supply oxygen, but this is no longer necessary. This has also significantly improved the overall economic viability of the demonstration system. It was a major discovery that not only renewable energy could be increased, but even oxygen could be utilized. These efforts are a collaboration between the University of Tokyo's Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology and four private companies. This initiative is rare globally and is attracting attention from various quarters.

Sharing the Vision of the Future with Citizens, Beyond 2030

Fuji: In the previous part, we discussed how the critical situation—where the island's population might decrease by nearly a quarter by 2030—was a major catalyst for being selected as an "SDGs Future City." Are there further outlooks beyond that? For instance, what about a long-term perspective, looking toward 2050?

Shinozaki: At this point, we've set our immediate goal for 2030 and are working backwards from there. However, we recognize that eventually, we'll need to reassess our current efforts and shift our focus towards a 2050 goal.

First, we must achieve 100% renewable energy for the island's electricity. And I believe the educational activities we are currently undertaking are universally important. We want to share with our citizens the vision of the future beyond the SDGs. If we can achieve that, it will naturally lead to each citizen acting while considering Iki's future, won't it? At the very least, at this stage, we must share with our citizens what Iki will look like in 2030, and to do that, we must present that future vision. We will thoroughly engage in dialogue with citizens for that purpose.

Fuji: Are the attitudes of children who receive environmental education changing?

Shinozaki: We tailor the educational content by grade level. For elementary school students, the goal is to "learn about Iki's strengths and challenges" through marine education. For middle school students, we take it a step further, asking them to consider "community development they want to continue living in" – specifically, what kind of town they would like Iki to become if they were to live here until 2030. High school students then think through concrete solutions themselves: what specific actions are needed for Iki to be sustainable.

While most university students eventually leave the island, we're seeing more young people expressing desires like: returning to contribute to the island's future, wanting to support Iki even while living elsewhere, or pursuing studies in regional revitalization at university. A new pattern is emerging where graduates return during summer break to mentor younger high school students. We feel this is yielding tangible results.

Spreading Excitement from Iki: "Engagement Partners"

Fuji: Finally, are there any initiatives in Iki City you'd like to highlight for people outside the island?

Shinozaki: Among the various initiatives Iki is currently advancing, a key keyword is "engagement." Essentially, it means fostering attachment and a desire for proactive contribution. We want people to feel a connection to Iki and develop a desire to make it even better.

To achieve this, we want not only our citizens but also people outside the island community to join in and get excited together. We aim to form partnerships with as many people as possible and spread the excitement about Iki together. For example, we have a system where companies or organizations that share a connection with Iki and wish to contribute proactively can register as "Engagement Partners." Once registered, you can freely use workation facilities owned by Iki City. We encourage you to participate in workshops, experience Iki firsthand, and interact with our residents. If you have even a slight interest in or fondness for Iki, we invite you to actively engage with us and enjoy the experience together. We will continue striving to build mutually beneficial relationships with everyone who participates.

To halt global warming, to preserve fishing as a vital Japanese industry, and to ensure we can continue enjoying the bountiful seafood we have always had, blue carbon—carbon stored by marine ecosystems—is a crucial initiative. The activities and perspectives shared by those featured in this three-part series were deeply insightful. We wholeheartedly support the work of everyone who participated in our interviews, and we ourselves will continue to consider and implement what we can do.