In a world confronting escalating climate challenges, September served as a stark reminder of the urgency to act. From the unprecedented flooding in New York City to the record-setting temperatures marking the hottest September ever recorded, the call to build resilience has never been louder. From Delhi’s decision to join Cities Race to Resilience, to the Coral Reef Breakthrough, the global community is stepping up its game. Read on to discover the latest from the Race to Resilience (RTR) team.
Delhi steps up climate ambition in New York by joining the Cities Race to Resilience campaign
On 20 September, the Government of Delhi pledged its commitment to the Cities Race to Resilience campaign, marking a significant stride towards a more resilient and sustainable future for India’s capital city. The campaign welcomed Delhi as the 83rd city to join during the event, “Adaptation and Resilience Action: Showcasing Implementation Progress and Catalyzing Pace and Scale”. The participation in the campaign comes with a comprehensive set of commitments aimed at enhancing climate resilience while fostering sustainable development.
H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28, said: “Communities must build resilience to climate change, and Delhi’s ambitions are exemplary. We can learn from the pragmatic, realistic and just solutions-oriented approach that the City of Delhi is providing. For example, boosting clean energy using rooftop solar plants in residential areas, or advancing the technology used for monitoring local air pollution. I look forward to supporting these plans and offering a blueprint for other cities in India, Asia, and further across the world.”
ORRAA accelerates investment for innovation
On the same date, RTR partner ORRAA hosted its inaugural Ocean Resilience Innovation Challenge (ORIC) Investor Forum. The Forum served as a platform to introduce innovative and visionary entrepreneurs committed to ocean and coastal resilience, to potential investors. The morning was filled with compelling pitches, showing the positive impacts provided by community-led enterprises and offering philanthropic or equity investors the chance to identify and explore opportunities in the Global South.
The selected enterprises unveiled a diverse array of solutions, including satellite-based coastal risk assessments, upscaling seaweed farming through microcredit and saving schemes, protecting surf ecosystems through parametric insurance, fisheries improvement technologies for ecological, economic and social sustainability, regenerative seaweed aquaculture that support coastal communities, and sustainable leather production from invasive species.
The Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) builds momentum for public and private finance and the announcement of the Coral Breakthrough
The roundtable discussion had the participation of the HLC for COP27 Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, who highlighted the role of the Global Fund for Coral Reefs as a leading partner in the Race to Resilience, delivering in the form of grants and investment for more than $625 million in resilience action.
In addition, the event presented the the Coral Reef Breakthrough, a major milestone that as part of the Sharm El Sheik Adaptation Agenda, establishes an ambitious goal to secure the future of at least 125,000 km2 of shallow-water tropical coral reefs with investments of US$12.2 billion to support the resilience of more than half a billion people globally by 2030.
Marsh McLennan leads the efforts of the Insurance and Adaptation Accelerator Campaign
In their ongoing commitment to advancing the Race to Resilience Insurance Acceleration campaign, Marsh McLennan hosted an important insurance roundtable during NYCW. The roundtable aimed to achieve three main objectives: underscore the immediate need for climate adaptation leadership in the U.S. insurance sector, particularly in light of insurer withdrawals from high-risk markets and new government support programs; mobilize U.S.-based insurers, reinsurers, and brokers, who have been less engaged compared to their European counterparts; and gather input for the forthcoming COP28 Race to Resilience Insurance Report. The roundtable served as a platform to capture diverse perspectives from the U.S. insurance industry on the challenges and opportunities tied to the climate adaptation insurance market.
DARAJA at the High-Level UNGA78 side event “Delivering Early Warnings for All”
Mark Harvey, CEO of DARAJA, joined the panel as a speaker, providing insights into DARAJA’s efforts in creating and implementing a people-centric, multi-hazard, multi-sectoral early warning system across multiple countries.
Build Change hosted a session discussion with private sector partners on finance access for resilient and affordable housing
The event addressed the growing momentum for resilient housing policies and global initiatives, like the First Movers Coalition, and explored opportunities to enhance housing finance from diverse sources.
Resilience Hub
Registration is now open for the COP28 Resilience Hub virtual platform! Register here.
Solution stories of the month
Coming up soon
Join DARAJA at MENA Climate week!
Early Warnings for All:Innovation to meet the Sharm Adaptation Agenda in the MENA region
Wednesday 11 October.
CIFAR ALLIANCE event ClimateChange+Gender: Intersectionality and Innovation
Tuesday, 24 October, 9am EST. Register here.
Elizabeth Hausler, founder of Race to Resilience partner Build Change, reflects on two decades of pioneering resilient housing solutions worldwide, from retrofitting homes in Haiti to influencing global policy, and setting ambitious goals for the future.
Learn how a Race to Resilience partner, Scale for Resilience, is empowering women in Latin America to drive climate resilience.
Climate Champions’ Global Ambassador Sheela Patel outlines her vision for the Roof Over Our Heads campaign designed to help women leaders from informal settlements to advance resilient, low carbon and affordable homes and solutions for their urban communities thereby advancing the overall climate resilience of their cities.
Partner: YAPU Solutions Implementer: COK Sodality Co-operative Credit Union Country & Region: Jamaica, Caribbean SAA Impact Systems: Human Settlements Impact / Beneficiaries: Members of COK Sodality Co-operative Credit Union, which includes over 275,000 individuals, encompassing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and low-income households across Jamaica. Jamaica, an island nation celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes […]
