Recent Progress in Local Governmental Planning for Climate Change Adaptation in Japan: A Case of Climate Change Adaptation in Saitama Prefecture

Abstract

The surface air temperature in Japan continues to rise, as can be seen from observations beginning in the 1890s. This temperature rise has been caused not only by urbanization but is also greatly affected by climate change. Under these circumstances, efforts toward adaptation to climate change have recently begun in Japan among local governments. Since the national climate change adaptation plan was issued in 2015, formulation of adaptation plans by local governments has steadily progressed. This is partly attributable to support from national projects for the development of local government adaptation plans, availability of a climate change adaptation information platform launched by the Ministry of the Environment, and easier access to climate change adaptation information. In this paper, we survey and review the present state of climate change adaptation planning in local governments in Japan. We also describe the current progress toward climate change adaptation in Saitama Prefecture as an example of climate change adaptation planning by a local government.