Organizing the Challenges Faced by Municipalities while Formulating Climate Change Adaptation Plans

Asako Iwami, Takanori Matsui, Michinori Kimura, Kenshi Baba and Mitsuru Tanaka
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Asako Iwami: Center for Regional Research, Hosei University, 2-17-1 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160, Japan
Takanori Matsui: Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Michinori Kimura: Department of Integrated Analysis, Lake Biwa Environmental Research Institute, 5-34 Yanagasaki, Otsu, Shiga 520-0022, Japan
Kenshi Baba: Faculty of Environmental Studies, Tokyo City University, 3-3-1 Ushikubo-nishi, Tsuzuki-ku, yokohama, Kanagawa 224-8551, Japan
Mitsuru Tanaka: Faculty of Social Sciences, Hosei University, 4342 Aihara, Machida, Tokyo 194-0298, Japan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: As the effects of climate change increase in severity, organizations across the world are attempting to measures to mitigate these effects. In accordance with the Paris Agreement of November 2015, wherein participating nations agreed to restrict the increase in global temperature below 2 °C, Japan has formulated guidelines on creating adaptation plans that can be implemented by local governments. A Climate Change Adaptive Information Platform was also launched to promote understanding and cooperation by sharing information on climate risks. However, the literature on this topic lacks information related to the organization of requirements and challenges faced by municipal administrative officials that formulate adaptation plans. To address these issues, we examined the four municipal forums hosted at Hosei University to encourage administrative needs for new technological ideas in areas such as climate modeling and impact assessment. We used text mining on the transcripts of the various workshops conducted in these forums and attempted to understand the changes in discussions and to extract issues related to the formulation process. The results showed that various topics, such as creating adaptation promotion systems, assessing the impacts of climate change, formulating adaptation plans, communicating with related organizations and stakeholders, developing human resources, and capacity building, were discussed, and a need for information, procedures, and assistance was identified for the formulation of feasible adaptation plans. This study is expected to provide a useful reference to stakeholders involved in framing adaptation plans to mitigate the effects of climate changes, particularly at the municipal level.

Keywords: climate change; local government; impact assessment; adaptation plans; text mining (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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