Please tell us about the regional characteristics of Saitama City, the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the center, and its organizational structure.
Saitama City is an inland city located in southeastern Saitama Prefecture, 20–40 km from central Tokyo. The city extends about 20 km from east to west and 20 km from north to south, covering an area of approximately 217 km2, and is characterized by flat terrain with elevations ranging from 3 to 20 m above sea level, with little variation in elevation overall. A number of rivers flow through the city, including the Arakawa, Kamo, Konuma, Shiba, Ayase, and Motoarakawa Rivers, and areas of farmland and woodlands extend along the Shiba River in the Minuma Tambo area, forming an important green resource in the city as well as a precious area of natural habitat within the Greater Tokyo Area.
Minuma Tambo and Saitama New Urban Center
(Courtesy of Saitama City)
Saitama City’s establishment of a Local Climate Change Adaptation Center was motivated by the enactment of the Climate Change Adaptation Act in December 2018 and the revision of the city’s Action Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures and the Saitama City Climate Change Adaptation Plan, in March 2021. In addition, with the announcement in July 2020 of the city’s goal of achieving essentially zero carbon dioxide emissions (becoming a zero-carbon city) by 2050, it became necessary to promote and strengthen measures to combat global warming and climate change.
Because the establishment of a Local Climate Change Adaptation Center requires the gathering and analysis of information on climate change adaptation as well as wide-ranging collaboration, Saitama City established Saitama City Climate Change Adaptation Center in April 2021 jointly with the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center in Saitama
Saitama City Climate Change Adaptation Center is composed of staff from the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center in Saitama and Environmental Creation Policy Division, Department of Environmental Management, Bureau of Environment, Saitama City, and is headed by the Director General, Bureau of Environment, Saitama City.
Please tell us about the activities that your local climate change adaptation center is currently working on or planning to undertake in the future.
Saitama City declared a climate emergency in May 2021 in order to share the awareness that the climate is in a state of crisis with all of its stakeholders, including citizens and businesses, and to mobilize them to take concerted action.。
Currently, based on the Saitama City Climate Emergency Declaration and the Saitama City Climate Change Adaptation Plan, we are creating videos, booklets, and other materials to publicize and raise awareness of the issues and sense of crisis related to climate change, and to promote broader understanding of climate change adaptation.
In addition, in 2021, we conducted a seminar on “Global Warming and Heat Countermeasures” at a municipal elementary school, and we are also conducting a public awareness and education project in cooperation with Saitama Prefecture Climate Change Adaptation Center.
Please tell us about any points or challenges you are working on in cooperation with related departments within the city government or in promoting adaptation by the city or business operators.
Saitama City has established the Zero Carbon City Promotion Committee as a forum for sharing information with related departments within the city government regarding the promotion of climate change adaptation measures. Moreover, we are making efforts to identify which operations can contribute to the adaptation measures by conducting hearings with related departments within the city government.
One of the challenges in promoting adaptation measures is that the concept of climate change adaptation has not yet achieved widespread acceptance. We also consider support for business operators, including understanding their needs, to be an issue for the future.
Please tell us about the rewards you find in your current work and also about your outlook for the future.
Since countermeasures against global warming and climate change depend on the awareness and actions of everybody, we believe it is necessary and meaningful to continue to promote awareness and education with the aim of sharing an appreciation of the issues and the sense of crisis related to climate change, and to promote understanding of climate change adaptation. We will also work to promote adaptation measures in collaboration and cooperation with a wide range of stakeholders, beginning with the Local Climate Change Adaptation Center in Saitama.
(Posted on December 27, 2022)
