THE CENTER FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION (CCCA)
BACKGROUND OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
The Climate Change Adaptation Act (Act No. 50 of 2018) enacted in June 2018 stipulates that the NIES, which plays a central role in Japan in formulating integrated responses to environmental issues both domestically and internationally across a wide range of research fields, shall be responsible for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and providing information on climate change impacts and adaptation, as well as providing technical advice to local governments and Local Climate Change Adaptation Centers (LCCACs) on their climate change adaptation efforts.
NIES established the Center for Climate Change Adaptation (CCCA) on December 1, 2018, coinciding with the effective date of the Climate Change Adaptation Act, as the hub for implementing these new tasks and research on climate change adaptation.
KEY ACTIVITIES
1. Development of information platforms
The CCCA was established to fulfill NIES’s role under the Adaptation Actin providing the scientific information infrastructure on climate change impacts and adaptation that is required by local governments, businesses, members of the public, and other stakeholders to take measures to adapt to climate change. Specifically, its roles are as follows: (1) to collect, analyze, organize, and provide information on climate change impacts and adaptation; (2) to provide technical advice and other technical assistance to prefectures and municipalities on the formulation and promotion of local climate change adaptation plans; and (3) to provide technical advice and other technical assistance to LCCACs. CCCA promotes adaptation initiatives by providing the information obtained in an easy-to-use format through the Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (A-PLAT).
CCCA also continuously improves and enhances the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Information Platform (AP-PLAT) that it established in 2019 to support developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region with the formulation and implementation of adaptation plans. CCCA facilitates international coordination and cooperation in climate change adaptation through these initiatives.
2. Support to Local Governments and LCCACs
The impacts of climate change vary significantly by region, as do economic and social environments. As such, local efforts are essential to implement effective adaptation measures to avoid and mitigate damage caused by climate change.
CCCA supports the activities of local governments and LCCACs by collaborating with institutions conducting research on climate change and providing information via A-PLAT. More specifically, CCCA provides:
- Technical advice to prefectures and municipalities on the formulation and promotion of climate change adaptation plans
- Technical advice to LCCACs
- Materials, explanations, and opinions at the request of LCCACs
CCCA also holds meetings, training sessions, and lectures for local governments and LCCACs to exchange views and nurture deeper understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation.
3. Research
To scientifically support climate change adaptation initiatives being implemented by local governments and other stakeholders, CCCA conducts adaptation research projects that package research activities on (1) observation of climate change impacts and analysis of mechanisms; (2) assessment of climate change impacts; (3) formulation of climate change adaptation strategies; and (4) implementation of adaptation strategies at the local level.
ORGANIZATION
- Director
- Deputy Directors (Administration and Research)
- Senior Research Coordinator
- Office for Climate Change Adaptation Coordination
- Climate Change Impacts Monitoring Research Section
- Climate Change Impacts Assessment Research Section
- Climate Change Adaptation Strategy Research Section
- Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Research Section
THE CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION INFORMATION PLATFORM（A-PLAT）
BACKGROUND OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
A-PLAT was launched in August 2016 with the aim of supporting efforts by national and local governments, businesses, members of the public, and other stakeholders to consider and formulate adaptation measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change. CCCA has fulfilled NIES’s role stipulated in the Adaptation Act by disseminating scientific findings on climate change impacts and adaptation measures, and information on adaptation initiatives and other relevant topics through A-PLAT. A-PLAT disseminates information mostly through the following six sections:
What’s climate change adaptation?, which explains climate change adaptation from six perspectives, including past data, forecasts, and an introduction to various adaptation measures;
Let’s adapt!, which introduces adaptation measures that people can put into practice in their everyday lives;
Case studies and data, which presents examples of climate change adaptation initiatives along with monitoring data and forecasts on climate change and its impacts;
Public awareness and learning tools, which provides tools for learning about climate change and adaptation;
Local governments, LCCACs, which is aimed at local government LCCAC personnel spearheading climate change adaptation; and
Private sector, which provides information and materials on climate change adaptation for businesses.
KEY ACTIVITIES
1. Support to Local Governments and LCCACs
CCCA provides the following information and technical assistance to local governments and LCCACs.
- Information for implementing adaptation measures
Includes the manual for formulating Local Climate Change Adaptation Plans, information on LCCAC duties, and examples of adaptation measures - Scientific information on climate change and adaptation
Academic papers, observational data, forecasts, etc. on climate change - Information on climate change adaptation seminars, training session, etc.
2. Support to Private Sector
CCCA provides the following information and technical assistance to businesses.
- Information and materials on climate change adaptation for businesses
- Case studies of climate change adaptation initiatives by businesses in the following three categories:
Climate Risk Management, Adaptation Business, and TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)
- Establishment of a network for collaboration between government, industry, and academia on climate change risks and other relevant matters
3. Support to Individuals and Communities
CCCA provides the following information and conducts the following activities for individuals and communities.
- Let’s Adapt campaign to encourage people to adapt to climate change in their everyday lives
- Videos for children that explain climate change and adaptation in simple terms
