Reimagining adaptation: Opportunities to manage risk and build resilience in an interconnected world

Summary

Come join us on Monday, 9 December, 14:30 – 18:00 at the COP25 Resilience Lab in Hall 6to envision a future world in which adaptation to climate change is meeting the challenges of an interconnected world.

We’ll discuss how the adaptation of tomorrow differs from the adaptation of today, how countries cooperate in this world, and how risks of common concern are addressed. What needs to happen to usher in this new era of global cooperation?

The effects of climate change on vulnerable people around the world become clearer every day. As countries continue to accelerate action to respond to the climate crisis, the context of that action is rapidly shifting. Unpredictable political movements, unprecedented globalization, and seemingly unbounded technological innovation mean that the global community is transforming as it tries to respond to these grand challenges.

So let’s take a leap forward: It is 2030 – COP36. The Sustainable Development Goals have been met. The Paris Agreement implemented. The world is successfully adapting to the climate crisis.

But how does the adaptation of tomorrow differ to the adaptation of today? How do countries cooperate in this world? How are the risks of common concern addressed? How are the benefits and opportunities shared? And what needs to happen to usher in this new era of global cooperation?

In this session, we’ll reimagine adaptation to meet the challenges of an interconnected world.

Agenda:

14:30 – 16:00: Reimagining adaptation – the case for change

A series of lightning talks and a discussion with the audience will set the scene and provide the inspiration for new ways of thinking about adaptation.

The panel will include visionary thinkers such as a futurist/foresight expert who can talk authoritatively about the challenges today and over the decade to come; a climate expert who can speak about the need for revolutionary new approaches to adaptation; an Adaptation Without Borders Initiative lead on the risks and opportunities a cross-border lens reveals; a business/technology lead on how to harness new technology and other ‘enablers’; a political economy expert who can get the audience thinking about the process of how change happens.

16:30 – 18:00: Reimagining adaptation – innovation in practice

The second part will be an interactive lab exploring the practical actions and solutions needed to seize this moment of transformation, engender a step change in our adaptation approaches and encourage collaborative risk management. What does international and transnational adaptation mean beyond the provision of finance?

The session will aim to draw on case studies, examples and expertise from all global regions.

Speakers:

Session 1

• Ana Gonzalez Guerrero, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Youth Climate Lab – @anaf_gg @YouthClimateLab
• Maria del Pilar Bueno, Co-Chair, The Adaptation Committee, UNFCCC – @MPilarBuenoR @UNFCCC
• Youssef Nassef, Director of Adaptation, UNFCCC – @ynassef @UNFCCC
• Rebecca Nadin, Head of Risk and Resilience, ODI – @ODIclimate @ODIdev
• Måns Nilsson, Executive Director, SEI – @mansanilsson @SEIclimate
• David Molden, Director General, ICIMOD – @icimod
• Andreas Reumann, Principal Evaluation Officer, GCF-IEU – @AndiReu @GCF_Eval
• Miroslav Polzer, Founder and CEO, GLOCHA – @glocha_mp @iaaiglocha
• Musonda Mumba, Chief of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Unit, UNEP – @MumbaMusondam @UNEP

Session 2

• Richard Jones, Science Fellow, Met Office – @MetOffice_Sci @MetOffice
• Mozaharul Alam, Regional Coordinator of Climate Change for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP – @Babu_UNEP, @UNEP
• Jo (Jyotsna) Puri, Head, GCF-IEU – @Jo_Puri @ GCF_Eval
• Michael Cote, Project Director, PIER, Winrock International – @WinrockIntl
• Joseph Siegal, Professor at Pace Law School, Senior Attorney and Environmental Collaboration and Conflict Resolution Specialist – @PaceEnviroLaw @MediatorsBB
• Hanna Plotnykova, Environmental Affairs Officer, UNECE – @unece
• Nanki Kaur, Regional Programme Manager, ICIMOD – @nankimann @icimod
• Emmanuel Seck, Programme Manager, ENDA – @EmmanuelSobel @endaenergylinks
• Richard Klein, Senior Research Fellow, SEI – @rjtklein @SEIclimate
• Pablo Suarez, Associate Director for Research and Innovation, Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre – @PabloSurGames @RCClimate
• Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director, IDDRI, @SebastienTreyer, @IDDRI_ThinkTank

Place: UNFCCC Resilience Lab, Hall 6