Climate change research
Climate change is one of the greatest global challenges of our time. Since 2010, Japan has experienced frequent severe weather disasters, including heavy rains, flooding, and landslides. The effects of global warming are becoming apparent everywhere.
Climate change countermeasures can be broadly divided into “adaptation” and “mitigation.” Adaptation refers to measures for dealing with climate change impacts, while mitigation involves efforts to curb climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Kyoto University is conducting advanced research in both approaches.
At the forefront of adaptation research, developments in simulation models have enabled detailed predictions of weather disasters, leading to revisions in flood control planning. Collaborating with other institutions, Kyoto University has created numerous detailed temporal and spatial future weather predictions, including forecasts for localized heavy rainfall. Based on these predictions — which suggest intensifying weather disasters — researchers from various fields, including meteorology, disaster prevention, engineering, and agriculture, are jointly studying countermeasures from urban planning perspectives.
In mitigation research, the university has long shown leadership in environmental economics. Through work on circular economies and biodiversity conservation, KyotoU aims to achieve both greenhouse gas reduction and global sustainability.
Increasingly, researchers from more and more fields, such as medicine and energy, are joining forces to combat climate change. It is hoped that together they will transcend traditional academic boundaries to find truly comprehensive solutions.