Biodiversity and Culture, Two Key Ingredients for a Truly Green Urban Economy: Learning from Agriculture and Forestry Policies in Kanazawa City, Japan

A truly green urban economy should promote the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity, inside and outside the city boundaries. Designing instruments for achieving such goals can be an arduous task for cities, as different sectors and stakeholders have divergent interests and thus a partial vision regarding what the local green economy should look like. This chapter looks at two key elements for the greening of local economies: biodiversity and culture (or biocultural diversity). By understanding the links between natural resources use and local taste and preferences, cities can more easily identify sustainable production-consumption patterns especially suitable for the locality, which, if properly scaled-up, can lead to increased sustainability and local economic development. In Kanazawa, a mid-size city in west Japan, biocultural diversity is catalyzing the local green economy. Two notable examples of how the local administration is greening the urban economy can be found in agriculture and forestry sectors. Innovative branding schemes for traditional varieties of vegetables and revitalization of traditional food culture are landmarks of local agricultural policy. In forestry, stimulus for the local crafts and traditional architecture industry, alongside native forest restoration programs are leading the way towards a greener economy.