How will Japan be threatened by climate change?

Coastal cities are vulnerable to rising sea levels, making cities prone to flooding and storm surges. However, approximately a fifth of Japan’s population lives in low-lying coastal urban centers. Coupled with ever-more devastating typhoons and other extreme weather events, people’s lives, as well as essential services such as energy, transport and health, will be at an alarming level of risk.

Studies have shown that Osaka is one of the most vulnerable port cities in the world. More than 200 billion USD of financial damage could result from coastal flooding. In 2018, travelers at Kansai International Airport in Osaka were left stranded as deadly Typhoon Jebi flooded the air transportation hub. If the sea level rises by one meter, a large part of Osaka-city and its neighboring coastal cities are expected to go underwater. Therefore, the local government has put mitigation strategies in place to save the city from intensifying extreme weather phenomena.