Please tell us about Kagoshima Prefecture’s unique local features and characteristics, what led to the establishment of the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center, and what its organizational structure is like.

The Kagoshima Prefectural Climate Change Adaptation Center was established in July 2020 as an adjunct organization to the Kagoshima Prefectural Institute for Environmental Research and Public Health.

In terms of its organizational structure, the personnel is comprised of a Director, Vice‐Director, and one other employee (all of whom have jobs at both organizations).

Please tell us about the current activities of Kagoshima’s Local Climate Change Adaptation Center as well as its future plans.

The Kagoshima Prefectural Climate Change Adaptation Center gathers information on climate change adaptation and other related topics, produces pamphlets, and holds conferences with other testing and research bodies of Kagoshima Prefecture for interorganizational information sharing.

Please tell us about any unique approach that your Local Climate Change Adaptation Center is taking to effectively coordinate with other departments of the Kagoshima Prefectural Government and to facilitate adaptation by the prefecture and businesses, as well as any issues, etc. you are experiencing.

In terms of coordination with other departments of the prefectural government, the prefectural office (secretariat: Global Warming Prevention Division) has set up the Global Warming Prevention Headquarters consisting of concerned prefectural departments for the function.

As for the facilitation of climate change adaptation, we have been providing seminars, etc. (organized by the Global Warming Prevention Division) to prefectural residents and business operators while the temperature has been on the rise and the effects of climate change are manifesting across Kagoshima also.

Concerning our activities related to climate change impact and adaptation, we have been conducting climate change awareness and education campaigns targeting prefectural residents and business operators in recent years. We recognize there is a challenge before us to optimize the ways through which we will improve awareness on actions adaptive to climate change impacts and educate the public accordingly.

Please tell us what motivates you to do your current work and also your outlook on the future.

As climate change is one of the SDGs, the mere fact that our jobs concern it is a great motivating factor for us, which also evokes in us a sense of responsibility.