Ibaraki Climate Change Adaptation Center
Coevolution between research on climate change adaptation and education
| Date of interview | March 14, 2019 |
|---|---|
| Established by | Ibaraki University |
| Interviewee | Makoto Tamura, Vice Director / Associate Professor, Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS), Ibaraki University |
[Interview video taken March 2021.]
The Ibaraki Local Climate Change Adaptation Center was established in Ibaraki University in April 2019. It was the first case of the center belonging to a university in Japan. Prof. Mimura of Ibaraki University explains the background and prospects for future adaptation promotion plans in Japan, while Prof. Yokoki and Assoc. Prof. Tamura of Ibaraki University talk about adaptation promotion in agriculture and disaster prevention, both of which are key areas for Ibaraki Prefecture.
This content consists of three parts, which are distributed respectively.
Background of establishment
Ibaraki University set up the Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS) in 2006, aiming at presenting adaptation technologies, policies and visions based on predictions of climate change impacts. We have carried out research and provide education on climate change impact assessment and adaptation measures, participating in various national research projects including the Ministry of the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund S-8 “Comprehensive Study on Impact Assessment and Adaptation for Climate Change.” During the process, Ibaraki University worked closely with the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and established close relationship. In March 2014, the whole S-8 project teams issued “Climate Change – Impacts on Japan.” I believe that an enthusiastic appeal on the necessity of climate change adaptation by researchers and other people concerned has led to the establishment of the Climate Change Adaptation Act in June 2018. Based on the background, we applied to serve as the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center in Ibaraki.
The first Local Climate Change Adaptation Center established as an arm of a university in Japan
It is challenging for a national university to serve as a Local Climate Change Adaptation Center. It is different from a local Institute for Environmental Studies in that a university covers a wide range of fields, that it has researchers of arts and sciences not only those specialized in environmental issues and climate change and that it provides education to students.
Only predicting potential impacts and developing adaptation measures are not enough as the prefecture’s information base on climate change adaptation. We consider it important how we put those predictions and measures into effect. If students have more opportunities to connect to the community in a hands-on workshop or a thesis project, we expect, climate change adaptation in the region will be encouraged. While pursuing “coevolution between research and education,” we would like to contribute to the prefecture’s climate change adaptation (Figure).
Figure: Overview of the Ibaraki Climate Change Adaptation Center
Cooperation with Ibaraki Prefecture
The prefecture and our university have established a good relationship as they have been cooperating in various research projects and quite a few prefectural officers are graduates of our university. As to climate change impacts and measures, we have provided the prefecture with our research findings. We believe that this cooperative system will be strengthened by the Climate Change Adaptation Center.
First of all, we need to deepen the understanding of climate change adaptation among prefectural officials other than those at the Environment Policy Section. We are planning to organize public meeting and workshops to create opportunities at which relevant sections provide information. By exchanging opinions with the prefecture repeatedly, we would like to begin with reaching common ground about climate change adaptation, such as definitions of terms, consistency with regular operations and problems. In the next step, we will provide assistance in developing practical adaptation measures and plans.
Supporting municipalities and raising the awareness among citizens
We are going to begin with heightening the awareness of the necessity of the adaptation among municipality officials and interview farmers, who can be directly affected by climate change. To expand the outreach to the citizens, we have been already organizing lecture courses and since FY2018 assisting in the planning of the serial article “the world of +2°C” on Mainichi Newspapers. We will continue to run lecture courses and cooperate with the media in interviews and planning to disseminate climate change and its adaptation measures.
Future efforts
The ICAS has more than 60 researchers. Around 10 of them are regular employees. To run the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center, we will need to develop various human resources including researchers and coordinators while securing a budget for new research projects and promotion (for instance, lecture courses and website building). To develop human resources for the adaptation, it may be an idea to certify specialists.
We will have to continue to explore ways to a success as a Local Climate Change Adaptation Center. Making the most of our past efforts and findings, we will tackle this important issue of climate change adaptation in the region.
(Posted on April 19, 2019)
