Climate change now poses a threat to future stability and prosperity, as well as human security, in
every country of the world.
As a partner of developing countries, JICA cooperates in addressing climate change issues facing
each country while aiming to achieve human security and quality growth.
Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency and severity of natural hazards—such as extreme heat, drought, torrential rain, storm surge, and sea level rise—and undermine the foundation of human well-being, including natural ecosystems and social and economic activities. It is an emergency that threatens human security and quality growth. Tackling climate change is a global challenge that should be addressed by the international community as a whole.
In December 2015, the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) took place in Paris and adopted the Paris Agreement, a new international framework for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and avoiding or minimizing the negative impacts of climate change. Both developed and developing countries have taken a new step forward under the agreement.
As a partner of developing countries, JICA aims at supporting a transition to a zero-carbon and
climate-resilient society. By playing a leading role in pursuing sustainable development, JICA contributes
to achieving the goals set out in the Paris Agreement, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction
(2015–2030),1 and the SDGs. Specific focus is placed on “the implementation of the
Paris Agreement” as well as on “the co-benefits approach to climate change,” which is designed to support
developing countries to continue developing their economy and society while at the same time addressing
climate change.
JICA strengthens the individual and institutional capacity of central and local governments to develop, revise, implement, and monitor climate action plans such as Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce emissions of GHGs and the Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy as stipulated in the Paris Agreement. JICA takes into account of each country's context and progress to address this global challenge.
Mongolia: JICA co-financed the Tsetsii Wind Farm, a private-led project, with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development under the Private-Sector Investment Finance program. The project is the second renewable energy project in the country.
JICA promotes the co-benefits approach that aims to solve development issues (development benefits) and contributes to climate action (climate benefits). JICA aims to scale up climate actions in a number of sectors, including energy, urban development, transport, disaster risk reduction (DRR), water resources, forest and nature conservation, and agriculture.
To address climate change, JICA pays special attention to three aspects, as shown below:
JICA sets climate actions in its Medium-term Objectives, Medium-term Plan, and Annual Plan with clearly defined targets and strengthens the monitoring of their progress and performance. JICA utilizes means such as its Climate Finance Impact Tool (JICA Climate-FIT) in the project planning phase to incorporate mitigation and adaptation components into all projects, especially those in such sectors as energy, transportation, urban development, agriculture, DRR, and forest conservation.
Under its commitment to promoting sustainable development in developing countries, JICA pursues greater impacts in development by mobilizing various climate funds in addition to conventional ODA. For example, JICA leverages external funds such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF)2 and promotes the formulation of projects in partnership with the private sector.
For domestic and international stakeholders, JICA advances information disclosure on its responsibilities to promote sustainability as well as to contribute to climate action. For example, JICA publicly shares information such as the amount of climate finance and GHG emission reduction through mitigation projects in its Sustainability Report.
In March 2021, the Green Climate Fund (GCF) approved its first JICA project, titled “Community-based Landscape Management for Enhanced Climate Resilience and Reduction of Deforestation in Critical Watersheds in Timor-Leste.”
The country is increasingly facing forest degradation as well as floods and droughts due to climate change, thus threatening the lives of local residents. This project is designed to improve the livelihoods of the members of 74 communities in four watersheds (about 48,000 people) by reducing GHG emissions through deforestation reduction and reforestation, and by introducing sustainable farming that accommodates climate change impacts. To this end, JICA capitalizes on the trusting relationships, networks, and know-how it has developed through its past cooper-ation activities.
Locals are receiving training in seedling production.
1. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 is a set of international DRR
guidelines up to 2030 adopted at the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, which was held in
March 2015 in Sendai, Japan.
2. Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the operating entity of the financial mechanism of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Established in 2010, the GCF supports GHG emissions
reduction (mitigation) and the management of climate change impacts (adaptation) in developing countries.
For details about JICA's climate action, visit
“Climate Change”https://www.jica.go.jp/english/our_work/climate_change/index.html.
Support for the Acceptance of Foreign Human Resources
JICA's Initiative for Global Health and Medicine
Climate Action
