Climate Change

Climate Change as a Global Challenge

Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time, and posing a substantial threat to human security, stability, and prosperity across our societies. The Paris Agreement was adopted at the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (external link) in December 2015, which aims at holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and striving to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Without urgent actions on climate change, there will be considerable damage to the global economy and society due to increasing natural disasters, disappearing coastal land due to sea-level rise, loss and degradation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity, and growing risks of infectious diseases and food security. Addressing climate change is an indispensable factor for sustainable development.

As a development partner, the JICA is exerting efforts to address climate change in developing countries with the momentum of the Paris Agreement (external link) and other international frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (external link).

JICA has set four priority issues in climate change cooperation:

1. Promote low-carbon, climate-resilient urban development and infrastructure investment;
2. Support climate policy and institutional development;
3. Enhance climate risk assessment and countermeasures; and
4. Enhance conservation and management of forests and other ecosystems.

JICA adopts three approaches in promoting climate change cooperation:

1. Integrate climate actions and development;
2. Build global partnership with diverse stakeholders; and
3. Take the best of Japan.

• JICA's Cooperation on Climate Change: Towards a Sustainable and Zero-carbon Society (PDF/14.0MB)