The concept of adaptation as a ‘global challenge’ – as recognised by and articulated in the Paris Agreement – is not getting the attention it warrants in international climate negotiations. Until recently, adaptation has been framed almost exclusively as a national-to-local concern, while the broader international dimension of climate risk has received very little attention in negotiations and pragmatic planning for adaptation. 2019 presents an opportune moment for change. This side event explores the transboundary risks that result from both the impacts of climate change and the effects of adaptation interventions (positive and negative). It will draw on case studies from within and across the Asia Pacific region, to provide an impetus for increased regional – and subsequently global – action and cooperation.

This event, co-organised by ODI and UNEP in collaboration with SEI and IDDRI, is hosted at the Third forum of ministers and environment authorities of Asia Pacific, taking place in Singapore. The event is open to all Forum attendees.

Biographies

Niall O’Connor became director of SEI Asia in March 2016. Over the last 15 years, he has led senior leadership and management positions in Western, Eastern and Southern Africa. This included six years as Country Director in Gambia and Senegal for Concern Universal (a UK based international NGO), before joining WWF in 2008.

Mozaharul Alam is the regional coordinator of the climate change sub-programme of UN Environment. He has spent a significant amount of his professional time in climate change research and worked for the Ministry of Environment and Forests in the Government of Bangladesh.

Dr Rebecca Nadin is Head of Risk and Resilience at ODI. She leads a multi-disciplinary team of analysts to pioneer policy-driven research on emerging risk vectors and resulting opportunities to reduce vulnerability, build resilience and drive transformative and sustainable change. Before joining ODI, Rebecca was Director of the Adapting to Climate Change in China Project (ACCC Phase I and II), the largest climate risk policy project of its kind in China.

Dr. Prabhakar Sivapuram is a research manager at IGES Japan, with more than 15 years’ experience in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction at IGES Japan and Kyoto University.

H.E. Malik Amin Aslam is currently serving as the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Climate Change (Federal Minister) as well as honorarily serving as the elected Global Vice President of IUCN. From 2002-07, he has served as a Member of Parliament and from 2004-07 as the Minister of State for Environment. In this capacity, has been the architect of the country’s National Policies on Environment and Climate Change. Mr. Malik is an electrical engineer with an MBA from McGill University and an MSc from Oxford University.

H.E. U Ohn Win is Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of the Union of the Republic of Myanmar, as of March 2016. He held the position of Pro-Rector at the University of Forestry (UoF) in Yezin until 2011. He worked as Watershed Management and Environmental Specialist for several international organizations prior to his appointment as a Minister, and has extensive experience spanning several decades in the forestry sector and in watershed management. He received his Master of Science in Watershed Management from Colorado State University in the US.

Dr David Molden is the Director General of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an intergovernmental knowledge organization dedicated to the mountains and people of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Dr Molden comes from a background specializing in water resource management and sustainable mountain development. Prior to joining ICIMOD, he was the Deputy Director General for Research at the International Water Management Institute based in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Lifeng Li is the coordinator of Support Programmes at the Green Climate Fund. Mr LI is a global expert on water management and nature conservation with 15 years of experience in collaboration with the public, private, NGO and research sectors. He was previously Head of Programmes at Wetlands International and Director of Freshwater at WWF.