A climate impact assessment compiled by Japan's Environment Ministry warns that without urgent action on climate change, the quality and quantity of rice will decline and flooding will increase. The report scientifically analyzes the effects of global warming on daily life and industry, finding that 65 percent of 80 items across seven sectors will be significantly impacted, with 68 percent requiring particularly urgent measures.
The report, released on Tuesday and marking the first update in about five years, is the third assessment based on the latest scientific findings. It will guide central and local governments, as well as businesses, in developing measures to mitigate climate change impacts and is expected to receive formal approval as early as next month after submission to the environment minister.
Key priority issues include declines in rice yields and quality, as well as shifts in suitable growing areas for fruit trees such as mandarins. The assessment also highlights an increase in flood-prone sites and landslides due to heavier rainfall, alongside a rise in heatstroke-related deaths from higher temperatures. If average global temperatures rise by 2.7 degrees Celsius from preindustrial levels by the end of the century, densely populated urban areas and northern municipalities could face elevated mortality rates from extreme heat, the report warns.
Among adaptive measures, cultivating heat-tolerant rice varieties could help maintain quality if temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius, though further warming would likely lead to output declines. This comprehensive analysis underscores the multifaceted threats of climate change to Japanese society and calls for immediate action.
