ARISE symposium advances global agenda on climate and disaster resilient infrastructure

The ARISE Symposium on Climate and Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, hosted by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, convened over 120 leaders from the public and private sectors, international organizations, and academia in Dubai to accelerate efforts towards building resilient infrastructure in the face of growing climate and disaster risks.

Held at the Marriott Marquis Creek Deira on 25 November in Dubai, with support from ARISE UAE and Sobha Realty, the symposium underscored the urgency of addressing systemic risks such as extreme heat, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event also aligned with recent critical role of resilience with a focus on financing, adaptation, and inclusive action in achieving global climate goals as highlighted at COP29, the UN Secretary-General's Call to Action on Extreme Heat, and the UNDRR's detailed 10-point action plan for extreme heat resilience.

The symposium featured keynote addresses from high-level participants, including H.E. Kamal Kishore, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and ARISE Co-Chair; H.E. Bérangère Boëll, United Nations Resident Coordinator for the UAE; and Mahmoud Al-Burai, ARISE Vice-Chair and Senior Advisor at Dubai's Real Estate Regulatory Agency.

On the same day, two other important events were conducted under the leadership of Sujit Kumar Mohanty, Chief of Inter-Governmental Processes, Interagency Cooperation, and Partnerships Branch at UNDRR: the in-person meeting of the ARISE global Board and an introductory workshop on strengthening the disaster resilience of SMEs in three selected cities from Barbados, Spain, and Japan. Participants of these events also attended the symposium.

Innovative solutions and collaborative strategies

A flagship panel discussion moderated by Abhilash Panda, Deputy Chief of the Partnerships Branch at UNDRR, explored the interplay between resilience tools and regulatory frameworks.

Key speakers included Amit Prothi, Director General of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), emphasizing the need for harmonized global standards in infrastructure development; H.E. Nathif Jama Adam, Chair of the Arid and Semi-Arid Land (ASAL) and Disaster Risk Management (DRM) Committee at the Council of Governors (CoG) of Kenya, sharing lessons from the response to climate change and different disasters affect small-scale traders and other stakeholders along the value chain; and Mahmoud Al-Burai, unveiling the Real Estate Resilience Tool, a game-changing resource for embedding resilience into real estate practices.

Private sector leaders such as Nathalia Schmuziger of Nippon Koei LAC, Fadi Nwilati of Kaizen Asset Management, and Rima Nassair of Provis highlighted how businesses are operationalizing advanced resilience tools and advocating for industry-wide reforms to tackle climate risks.

Tackling extreme heat

A fireside chat moderated by Farah Naz, Director of ESG and Innovation at AECOM Middle East Africa, addressed the critical challenge of extreme heat. Panelists discussed actionable solutions, including innovative cooling systems and community-focused heat resilience strategies. Jagannathan Ramaswamy of Sobha Realty emphasized the private sector's role in advancing the UN's Extreme Heat Call to Action, while Kerry Hinds of Barbados' Department of Emergency Management shared local insights into building community resilience to extreme heat.

Key outcomes and next steps

The symposium highlighted several pivotal outcomes and actionable next steps essential to advancing disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure by addressing systemic challenges, exploring practical solutions, and advocating for transformative policy changes. Participants emphasized the need to:

• Scale Up Resilience Tools: Expand the adoption and integration of innovative tools like the Real Estate Resilience Tool to promote resilience across infrastructure sectors.
• Harmonize Regulatory Standards: Pathways for regulatory reform are needed. This can be achieved by developing cohesive and industry-wide regulatory frameworks that align resilience goals with national and international policies, ensuring consistency and efficiency in implementation.
• Foster Public-Private Partnerships: Strengthen collaborations between governments, private sectors, and international organizations to integrate resilience into infrastructure design and governance.

These initiatives underscore the critical role of resilient infrastructure, not only as a measure to reduce disaster risk but also as a strategic driver of economic stability and sustainable development.

As discussions continue, these actionable steps will guide ongoing efforts, inform dialogues leading to the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GP2025), and contribute to implementing the outcomes of COP29. By aligning resilience-building strategies with broader sustainability goals, the symposium reaffirmed the global commitment to a risk-informed and climate-adaptive future.

ARISE and the private sector driving change

The ARISE network is committed to embedding resilience into investment decisions, strengthening collaboration with governments to advance regulatory frameworks, and addressing the growing impact of extreme heat on infrastructure systems.

Looking ahead

As disasters grow more frequent and severe, platforms like the ARISE Symposium serve as a vital catalyst for action, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. By championing climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure, UNDRR and the ARISE national networks are advancing the global agenda for a sustainable, risk-informed future.