NbSI Present at National Conference on Disaster and Climate Resilience in the Philippines

The 2nd National Conference of the Philippine Academic Society for Climate and Disaster Resilience and UP Resilience Institute was held in Quezon City, Manila, from October 24-26, 2023.

The conference titled, From Discourse to Action: Mobilizing the Academe for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, saw participants from academia, NGOs, and government convene to advance the country’s action for climate and disaster resilience. The conference’s keynote address was delivered by the Executive Director of the Philippines Climate Change Commission, Sec. Robert Borje.

NbSI’s Katrina Kendall, was invited to give a plenary talk on nature-based solutions and take part in a panel discussion on “Practices and Challenges in Climate Disaster and Risk Management” (pictured above).

Katrina’s presentation offered an overview of nature-based solutions (NbS) and how these approaches can help adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change and enhance resilience in disaster-prone areas. She also shared the latest NbSI research on NbS in the Philippines. Moreover, Katrina actively engaged in a panel discussion with members of local government answering questions on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience, discussing how NbS might play a role in addressing these challenges. For her efforts Katrina was awarded a certificate of appreciation from the PASCDR and UP Resilience Institute.

A few key conference take-aways include:

• Multidisciplinary collaboration: The conference emphasised the need for multidisciplinary collaboration, echoing the ethos of the PASCDR and UPRI partnership.
• Innovation in resilience building: A prominent theme of the conference centred on advancing innovations and technologies for resilience, whilst acknowledging innovations beyond traditional scientific practices including the important role of arts and communications.
• Local and indigenous knowledge: The conference recognised the importance of integrating traditional wisdom with contemporary approaches for effective resilience measures.
• Adapting to the ‘New Normal’: As the world transitions to a “new normal,” the conference provided a platform for reflection on the intersectionality of pandemics, disasters, and climate change in the Philippines.