Launch Workshop: Under the project GCA Support to Climate-Adaptive City Construction

The Launch Workshop focuses on supporting the implementation of China’s National Adaptation Strategy 2035 by contributing to constructing the pilot cities program and providing technical support to Weihai City in strengthening its climate resilience capacity to plan, design, and implement climate resilience policies and programs.

Event description

Deltas and coastal regions, including the Shandong Peninsula, Yangtze, and Pearl River deltas, which are home to hundreds of millions of people, are of key importance to China. With rapid urbanization and economic growth, China’s delta cities are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels, intensified storms, and increased flooding pose significant risks to infrastructure, agriculture, and livelihoods in these regions. Recognizing the urgency to address these challenges, China has launched a ground-breaking initiative to transform its pilot city into models of climate resilience.

With support from the International Panel on Deltas and Coastal Areas (IPDC) and the Ministry of the Ecology and Environment of China (MEE), GCA China is collaborating with the Weihai Municipal People’s Government to conduct a Launch Workshop. The Launch Workshop focuses on supporting the implementation of China’s National Adaptation Strategy 2035 by contributing to constructing the pilot cities program and providing technical support to Weihai City in strengthening its climate resilience capacity to plan, design, and implement climate resilience policies and programs.

Key Objectives
The overall goal is to support the implementation of the National Adaptation Strategy 2035 by contributing to the climate-resilient pilot cities program. The objective of the Launch Workshop is to promote climate resilience and adaptation to the stakeholders in Weihai City, which will contribute to building an adaptive coastal city. The detailed aims of the workshop include:

• Address knowledge gaps on climate hazards and share best solutions to prioritize adaptation and resilience options that can be integrated into the urban action plan
• Strengthen the local and institutional capacity of decision-makers and city designers to integrate adaptation and Nature-based Solutions into decisions
• Identify the potential costs and benefits of addressing climate hazards and protecting infrastructure assets and services in coastal regions
• Facilitate cooperation, links, and synergies in the urban planning, design, and development process and share best practices in building climate resilience and reducing disaster risk through Climate risk assessment and development of climate data and analytics

Program
The event will be in English and provide live interpretation in English and Chinese.

Co-Chairs

• Ms. Zhang Yajing, Senior Engineer, Environment Development Center, MEE
• Mr. Nicholas Tandi, Senior Specialist, GCA

Opening Remarks

• Ms. Hou Fang, Deputy Director, Climate Change Department, MEE
• Mr. Liu Xianyong, Director of a Division, Climate Change Department, Department of Ecology and Environment, Shandong Province
• Mr. Yu Chenchen, Deputy Secretary General of the Municipal Government, Weihai City
• Mr. Joep Verhagen, Global Lead Water and Urban, GCA

Launch Ceremony Report on Weihai City Climate Adaptive City Construction Pilot Implementation Plan

• Mr. Wang Kai, Engineer, Shandong Academy for Environmental Planning

Keynote Remarks

• Mr. Joep Verhagen, Global Lead Water and Urban, GCA
• Mr. Xu Yinlong, researcher, PhD supervisor, Institute of Agricultural Environment and Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
• Mr. Liu Jianlin, Deputy General Manager, Senior Engineer, Western Regional Center of Beijing Municipal Engineering Institute
• Mr. Xun Sun, Senior Researcher, GCA

Closing Remarks

• Mr. Wang Xihai, Deputy Director, Weihai City Ecology and Environment Bureau
• Mr. Joep Verhagen, Global Lead Water and Urban, GCA

Participants
The workshop will invite government officials from various sectors of Weihai City, including:

• Shandong Academy for Environmental Planning
• Weihai Development and Reform Commission
• Weihai Education Bureau
• Bureau of Industry and Information Technology of Weihai
• Weihai Public Security Bureau
• Weihai Finance Bureau
• Weihai Natural Resources and Planning Bureau
• Weihai Ecological Environment Bureau
• Weihai Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau
• Weihai Transportation Bureau
• Weihai Water Affairs Bureau
• Weihai Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau
• Weihai Ocean Development Bureau
• Weihai Commerce Bureau
• Weihai Culture and Tourism Bureau
• Weihai Health Commission
• Weihai Emergency Management Bureau
• Weihai Administrative Approval Service Bureau
• Weihai Market Supervision Administration
• Weihai Bureau of Statistics
• Weihai Local Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau
• Weihai Forestry Bureau
• Weihai Meteorological Bureau
• Weihai Power Supply Company
• Weihai Port
• Weihai Water Corporation Limited
• Weihai Thermal Power Corporation Limited