| Timeline | NIES Events | Major Environmental Events |
|---|---|---|
| Early 1970s | Worsening of photochemical smog | |
| 1971 July | Establishment of the Environment Agency | |
| 1971 November | Establishment of NIES Founding Committee | |
| 1971 to 1973 | Court judgements on four major pollution cases | |
| 1972 June | UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden | |
| 1973 March | Final Report Presentment by NIES Founding Committee | |
| 1974 March | Establishment of NIES | |
| 1974 May | Dr. Roland and Dr. Molina report having observed depletion of the ozone layer | |
| 1978 October | Establishment of NIES Board of Councilors | |
| 1985 April | Vist of Emperor Showa to NIES | |
| 1988 November | Establishment of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) | |
| 1990 July | Restructuring of NIES to include global environmental research | Launch of research projects funded by Japan's Global Environment Research Fund |
| 1990 October | Establishment of the Center for Global Environmental Research | |
| 1992 June | Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| 1993 November | Basic Environment Law promulgated in Japan | |
| 1997 December | Kyoto Conference on Global Warming (UNFCCC COP3) held | |
| 1998 June | First NIES Open Symposium held | |
| 2001 January1 | Environment Agency becomes Ministry of the Environment. Establishment of Waste Management Division at NIES |
|
| 2001 April | Establishment of NIES as an Incorporated Administrative Agency. First five-year plan (2001-2005) commences |
|
| 2006 April | Second five-year plan (2006-2010) commences | |
| 2010 August | Visit of the Japanese Emperor and Empress to NIES | |
| 2010 October | Nagoya Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD COP10) held | |
| 2011 March | Great East Japan Earthquake | |
| 2011 April | Third Five-Year-Plan (2011-2015) commences | |
| 2013 March | Amendment of the third five-year plan (2011-2015) | |
| 2015 April | Establishment of NIES as a National Research and Development Agency | |
| 2015 September | Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs) held at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit. | |
| 2015 December | Paris Conference on UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP COP21) held | |
| 2016 April | Fourth Five-Year-Plan (2016-2020) commences; Fukushima Brach established | |
| 2017 Apri | Lake Biwa Branch Office established | |
| 2018 June | Climate Change Adaptation Act promulgated in Japan | |
| 2018 December | Amendment of the Fourth Five-Year-Plan (2016-2020); Center for Climate Change Adaptation(CCCA) established | |
| 2021 April | Fifth Five-Year-Plan (2021-2025) | |
| 2025 April | Wako Branch Office established |
NIES at the time of establishment
Ceremony to mark the inauguration of NIES as an Incorporated Administrative Agency
Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, the then Emperor and Empress