Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast

From predicting floods before they happen to reforesting landscapes at lightning speed, AI is expected to revolutionize how we adapt to climate change. But with great power comes great responsibility. And can we really tackle climate change with machines that produce titanic quantities of carbon emissions and waste? Himanshu Gupta, CEO of ClimateAI, shares his journey from rural India to Silicon Valley, revealing how AI is helping farmers grow climate-resilient crops. Plus, Eleonore Fournier-Tombs from the UN University shares some groundbreaking uses of AI and how to balance innovation with ethics.  

Find out more:

·         Report: Navigating New Horizons

·         Artificial Intelligence End-to-end

·         Climate AI

·         United Nations University Centre for Policy Research

What makes a climate story go viral? Why are stories so important for making sense of the climate crisis How can the media convey the urgency without breeding despair? Lis and Marcus sit down with The New York Times’ adaptation reporter Christopher Flavelle to explore these questions. Plus, the filmmaker and explorer Malaika Vaz shares what it’s like to capture victims of the climate crisis and tell their story to a global audience.

Find out more:

·         Christopher Flavelle

·         Untamed Planet

·         Climate Solutions Series

In this episode of RESILIENCE, we look at the growing threat of extreme heat. What does it feel like to live in a city that regularly hits 50°C? How do we adapt when our traditional air-conditioning systems pump out even more planet-heating gases? We explore some bold insights with Professor Toby Peters, a global expert in sustainable cooling, and Shahzad Qureshi, the visionary behind the Urban Forest movement in Pakistan.

Find out more:

• Cool Coalition
• UN Secretary General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat
• Global Cooling Pledge
• Cooler Finance: Mobilizing Investment for the Developing World’s Sustainable Cooling Needs

Keisha and Marcus dive into the complex but fundamental question of adaptation finance and how to unlock the billions needed to adapt to escalating climate crisis. UNEP’s Executive Director Inger Andersen discusses the key findings from the latest Adaptation Gap Report, highlighting innovative financing solutions and demonstrating why investing in adaptation isn’t just necessary – it’s smart economics. The question isn’t whether we can afford to adapt, but whether we can afford not to.

Find out more:

·         Adaptation Gap Report 2024

·         UNEP and climate adaptation

·         Emissions Gap Report 2024

Lis and Marcus pose what could be one of the most important questions of the 21st century – to what extent can restoring nature tackle the climate crisis? The award-winning restoration hero Constantino Aucca Chutas explains what drove him to plant ten million trees to protect his indigenous community from the impacts of melting glaciers. Plus, Mirey Atallah from UNEP tells us why a grand restoration project in Africa is generating hope for the future. 

Find out more:

• UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
• The Great Green Wall of Africa
• Global Fund for Ecosystem-based Adaptation
• What Is Ecosystem-based Adaptation?
• Acción Andina

Keisha and Marcus are joined by Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, the CEO of the Global Environment Facility, to discuss the importance of engaging the youth in climate action. Carlos Manuel argues you no longer need to be a biologist to save the planet, while South African student Zanele Luthuli talks about how a new youth movement called The EPIC Network is training the next generation of adaptation experts.
Find out more:
·         The EPIC Network
·         Global Environment Facility
·         GEF Small Grants Programme
·         Young Champions of the Earth Award

Can we innovate our way out of the climate crisis? How did the Netherlands become the world’s greatest innovators for flood control? How do we finance the best climate solutions? Nadege Trocellier from the UN Climate Technology Centre and Network sheds light on what innovation looks like in the world of climate adaptation. And leading expert Omar Saleh talks about a fascinating adaptation solution called SLAMDAM – a flexible, portable flood barrier designed to rapidly protect communities from flooding.

Find Out More:

·       Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator

·       The Climate Technology Centre and Network

·       Can this portable dam help Africa counter rising waters?

·       Global Fund for Ecosystem-based Adaptation

·       UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub

In our first episode, Lis and Marcus delve into how our buildings and homes can adapt to the increasing threats of climate change. Award-winning architect Mariam Issoufou shares her journey of returning to Niger, where she’s using her expertise to tackle extreme heat. Plus, former Climate Change Ambassador Diann Black-Layne from Antigua and Barbuda reveals how a community-based loan scheme is helping locals ‘hurricane-proof’ their homes. Tune in to hear powerful stories of resilience and ingenuity in the face of climate challenges.
For further information on the subjects discussed in this episode please see the links below:
A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings and Communities
Mariam Issoufou Architects
Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction
Tackling Hurricanes with Revolving Loans in Antigua and Barbuda
Ministry of the Environment, Japan

Lis and Marcus consider one of the most critical issues in adaptation: how to build more climate-resilient food supplies. Eduardo Mansur, the FAO’s Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, talks about drought-resilient food production, biotechnology, and insect farming. And Louise Mabulo talks about how she founded the Cacao Project in the Philippines to help farmers carve out sustainable, shockproof livelihoods. 

Find out more about: 

- The UN's Global Adaptation Network: unep.org/gan
- Climate adaptation resources and multimedia: bit.ly/2Y8SavL
- The Cacao Project: louisemabulo.com/the-cacao-project

- The Food and Agriculture Organization: fao.org

References:
- Half the world to face severe water stress by 2030 unless water use is "decoupled", says International Resource Panel: bit.ly/3uJSflZ
- Climate-smart agriculture: bit.ly/3mokx1n

- Climate-resilient farming practices: Typology and guiding material for climate risk screening: bit.ly/2WHX1Ui

Lis and Marcus discuss what their ideal climate-resilient cities would look and feel like - and Kobie Brand, the Africa regional director of the global cities network ICLEI, is back to talk about the exciting innovations happening in African cities, including the use of the Minecraft video game to map out climate adaptation strategies in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. And coffee farmer Hector Velasquez explains his crucial role in supporting San Salvador’s ambitions to become a ‘sponge’ city.

Find out more about:
- The UN's Global Adaptation Network: unep.org/gan
- Climate adaptation resources and multimedia: bit.ly/2Y8SavL
- CityAdapt: cityadapt.com/en
- The ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability: africa.iclei.org
- The Global Environment Facility: thegef.org

References:
- 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, says UN: bit.ly/3Be7YvX
- A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings & Communities: bit.ly/3DgWlFg
- “Sponge City”: San Salvador uses nature to fight floods: bit.ly/3izMwKu

Lis and Marcus are joined by Koko Warner, from the UN Climate Change Secretariat, to discuss the parallels between tackling the Covid pandemic and building resilience to climate change. But also, what can we expect at the upcoming COP26 climate summit in Glasgow? Kobie Brand, the Africa regional director of the global cities network ICLEI, shares her lessons on the speed and power of collective action from living through ‘Day Zero’ - the time when Cape Town nearly ran out of water.

Find out more about:
- The UN's Global Adaptation Network: unep.org/gan
- Climate adaptation resources and multimedia: bit.ly/2Y8SavL
- The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: unfccc.int
- The ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability: africa.iclei.org

References:
- Call to Action for a Climate-resilient Recovery from Covid-19: bit.ly/3AdDAjR
- Adaptation Gap Report 2020: bit.ly/3Bhby8o
- National Adaptation Plans: bit.ly/3abjBaW

Lis and Marcus find out about some really creative and practical solutions to the climate threats faced by coastal communities and people living on low-lying small islands.
  

Eritai Kateibwi, from the Te Maeu Project, talks about introducing hydroponics to Kiribati so his community can grow food without monthly ‘king’ tides washing away their crops. And world-renowned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, who specialises in climate-resilient architecture, talks about floating cities and building flood barriers that double as parks, skateboard ramps, and bike storage - drawing on a concept known as ‘hedonistic sustainability.’

Find out more about:
- The UN's Global Adaptation Network: unep.org/gan
- Climate adaptation resources and multimedia: bit.ly/2Y8SavL
- Big, Bjarke Ingels Group: big.dk
- Te Maeu: temaeuprojects.org

References:
- Factsheet: People & Oceans: bit.ly/3mnUeZn
- A Practical Guide to Climate-resilient Buildings & Communities: bit.ly/3oDPeCu
- Options for Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Coastal Environments: bit.ly/3DjsJah

Lis and Marcus explore how investing in adaptation makes both economic sense and helps save the lives of millions of people faced with climate catastrophes. Professor Patrick Verkooijen joins from the Rotterdam-based Global Center on Adaptation which, as the largest floating office in the world, is a potent example of adaptation. And Rohey Ceesay, a forestry officer in the Gambia, talks about how she uses drama and music to spread crucial messages and early warnings about deadly storms. 

Find out more about:
- The UN's Global Adaptation Network: unep.org/gan
- Climate adaptation resources and multimedia: bit.ly/2Y8SavL
- The Global Center on Adaptation: gca.org
- The Global Environment Facility: thegef.org

References:
- António Guterres: 50% of All Climate Finance Needed for Adaptation: bit.ly/2Yh8JWo
- Reduced death rates from cyclones in Bangladesh: what more needs to be done?: bit.ly/3oEhyEP
- Adaptation Gap Report 2020: bit.ly/2YkgRWI
- Project Factsheet: Early Warning Climate Services in Gambia: bit.ly/3ldcDIV

Over six episodes Lis Mullin Bernhardt and Marcus Nield from the UN’s Global Adaptation Network explore the best solutions and cutting edge technologies for adapting to climate change. They talk to leading adaptation experts and people in countries like El Salvador, The Gambia, the Philippines, Kiribati and the Seychelles about how they are building resilience.

Coming 12 October 2021

Learn more about adapting to climate change: bit.ly/2Y8SavL

Visit us at the Global Adaptation Network, hosted by the UN Environment Programme, on our website: unep.org/gan

Follow us on social media: @UNEP (Twitter and Instagram) // @unenvironment (Facebook)