2^nd Roundtable Exchange on Integrating Adaptation into Infrastructure Pathways 

Event description:

Background & Objectives: 
With the guidance of the Netherlands government, the Global Center on Adaptation China Office will collaborate with the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China and the Chinese National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation to conduct a series of knowledge exchange activities on climate-resilient infrastructure, with an objective of facilitating the exchange of knowledge and experience in, and practical guidance on integrating climate resilience and adaptation into the entire infrastructure life cycle: from planning and design, financing and construction, to operation and maintenance, and decommissioning. These knowledge exchange activities include: 

• A series of three technical roundtables among experts from China and the Netherlands; 
• A case study report drawing upon experiences from the two countries on climate-resilient infrastructure; and 
• A culminative, high-level dialogue with senior governmental officials from China and the Netherlands. 

The knowledge exchange will facilitate discussions on themes critical to the integration of climate resilience into infrastructure pathways, including, among others:

• Institutional strategies to ensure cross-sectoral coordination for the planning and implementation within government agencies;
• Technical approaches to climate-resilient infrastructure, including engineering solutions, monitoring and early warning, data analytics and modelling as well as nature-based solutions to integrating “natural” and “green” infrastructure into “grey” infrastructure; and
• Financing instruments and tools including results-based incentives and public-private partnerships.

This roundtable is the second in the series, among Dutch and Chinese experts to share insights and practical experience on climate-resilient infrastructure, providing perspectives and framings for good practices to be featured in the case study report.
 
Facilitator:
Xianfu Lu, Project Senior Advisor, GCA

Agenda
Opening & Introductions (8:30 – 8:40)

• Opening remarks by Mathilda Buijtendijk, I&W/DGMI, Program Manager/Deputy Program Director Climate Adaptation and Water International, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands
• Opening remarks by DDG Mr. JIANG Zhaoli, Climate Change Department, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China
• Project background introduction by GCA

Featured presentations (8:40 – 10:00)
Moderator: Aiping Chen, GCA China Regional Director
Fang Hou, Deputy Director, Cooperation and Exchange Division, Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China
 
This segment of the roundtable is for participants from both sides to share their knowledge including lessons learned and best practices related to the integration of climate adaptation measures into infrastructure life cycle through targeted presentations, including on:

• Public policies and governance structure
• Priority sectors/systems
• Concrete projects or initiatives (cases)

Suggested topics for the Dutch counterparts (8:40 – 9:20)

• Governance structure (institutional arrangements) for integrating climate risk into infrastructure projects planning and delivery;
• Standards and regulations establishment in resilient infrastructure design, construction and quality assurance;
• Analytical tools and solutions such as hazard monitoring and climate (particularly flood) risk modelling;
• Innovative financing instruments for climate-resilient infrastructure, including the use of PPP; and
• Implementation of nature-based solutions for flood resilience.

Suggested topics for the Chinese Counterparts (9:20 – 10:00)

• Hazard monitoring and early warning systems;
• Drought, heatwave and extreme temperature management measures in key infrastructure sectors such as energy and transport;
• Application of digital technologies for climate-resilient infrastructure operations and maintenance through enabling proactive climate risk reduction as well as effective post-disaster response and recovery; and
• Integration of nature-based solutions in transport sector and urban development.

Open discussion among experts (10:00 – 11:20)
Moderator: Xianfu Lu, GCA Project Senior Advisor
 
This segment of the roundtable is for all participants to exchange freely based on the perspectives shared above and to further explore some of the solutions.
 
Time permitting, experts could be invited to reflect on the following:

• What are the main barriers to mainstream climate resilience in the infrastructure life cycle?
• What opportunities exist to tap into the advancements in digital technologies and scientific understanding, regulatory and policy development, and a growing evidence base for climate-resilient infrastructure development?
• What is the single most significant learning point from today’s exchange for you?
• What would you like to know more about at the next roundtable?    

Summary takeaways & Closing (11:20 – 11:30)