Alternative pathways describing the future built environment in Japan

The evolution of long-term sustainable societies is closely connected to the transformation of the physical built environment in which those societies operate. We presented a comprehensive set of narratives for the built environment in Japan, consistent with the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) framework, to assess the future evolution of the adaptation and mitigation challenges. We focused on the linkage between sustainability factors and human living environments including urban form, buildings, and basic infrastructures. Recent global crises such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic may accelerate the transformation of societies. Therefore, this study attempts to imply the benefits and trade-offs of alternative pathways for the built environment.