Since its founding 1,200 years ago as Japan’s first permanent capital, Kyoto has placed great value on sustainability and harmony with the surrounding natural environment, giving further significance to the signing of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming here in 1997. Our heritage is prioritized over aggressive urban development, and strict building height and advertising restrictions protect the city’s character and skyline. The city has excellent public transportation, several bike sharing programs, charging stations for electric vehicles, and is easily explored on foot. The city also makes it possible to hold sustainable meetings through a carbon offset program, a convention pass to encourage attendees to use public transportation, and a new program for traditional handicrafts that reduces waste by offering traditional handicrafts for rent as meeting goods or décor. In June 2016, Kyoto became the first city in Asia to join the Global Destination Sustainability Index, demonstrating Kyoto’s continued dedication to pioneering in sustainability.

Kyoto was Japan’s first city to become an international meeting destination. ICC Kyoto, where the Kyoto Protocol was signed in 1997, is surrounded by greenery and has an eco-friendly certification. As a legacy of the Kyoto Protocol, Kyoto launched, Do You Kyoto?, a comprehensive program that involves all sectors of our community - residents, visitors, companies etc. – to protect the environment and help reduce energy usage and C02 emissions. Meetings and events in Kyoto can take part by using the Do You Kyoto? carbon offset program to offset their CO2 emissions, making use of the Traditional Handicraft Rental Program to reduce waste and support traditional industry, and providing convention passes to encourage participants to use public transportation. Kyoto CVB can also recommend venues, hotels, PCOs, and DMCs that have sustainability certifications.

Originally called Heian-Kyo, the "capital of stability and peace", Kyoto has been in the top ten of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best City for 6 years in a row and in 2017, the QS Best Student Cities Index ranked the Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe metropolitan area as the #1 safest city in the world. Meetings and events in Kyoto are encouraged to contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage in the city, through a subsidy offered to help defray the costs of cultural activities, as well as a variety of excursion programs that allow participants to interact with the local community and culture while supporting traditional industries.