JICA-RI Research Fellow Ms. Megumi Muto Presents Interim Report on JICA-WB-ADB Joint Study "Adaptation to Climate Change in Asian Coastal Cities" at International Conference in Bangkok, Thailand

This study focuses on Asia's megacities such as Kolkata, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Manila which are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. With a timeframe extending to the year 2050, the study intends (1) to simulate flooding caused by rises in temperature and sea level or by intensifying typhoons, (2) to analyze socioeconomic and infrastructure impact, (3) to examine adaptation measures, and (4) to describe the countermeasure package for climate change to be applied to the public sector during growth periods of the megacities.

There are very few prior studies of adaptive options for these cities based on quantitative analysis of climate change risk. This study is characterized by efforts to identify concrete climate change adaptation policies that combine engineering and socioeconomic analysis that is focused regionally rather than globally, particularly important in light of the uncertainty about future climate change impact.

Ms. Muto's presentation offered a new perspective and stimulated discussion among more than 80 participants, including adaptation experts from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

This workshop was organized by the Global Change System for Analysis, Research, and Training (START), an international research network on global environmental change issues, the East West Center of the United States, the Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (ICAS) of Ibaraki University, the Institute for Global Change Adaptation Science (IR3S) of Tokyo University in collaboration with other partners including the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) and Chulalongkorn University of Bangkok.