Rebuilding for resilience: Climate-smart post-conflict recovery
When: 23 October 2025 | 15:10 - 16:20
Format: Breakout session
Experience has shown that, without climate sensitivity, the goals of peace, resilience, and sustainability are unattainable – climate impacts can undermine or even reverse progress towards lasting peace and stability. Post-conflict recovery offers a rare opportunity to not only rebuild infrastructure and governance but to also critically address structural vulnerabilities to climate change. In fragile contexts, extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns are undermining peace gains, straining scarce resources, and fuelling renewed instability.
Building on last year’s dialogue on the need for climate-sensitive peacebuilding, this session will explore how climate resilience can be woven into post-conflict reconstruction to reduce future risks, strengthen livelihoods, and support lasting stability. Drawing on lessons from the field, participants will discuss practical approaches for integrating climate risk assessments, nature-based solutions, and inclusive planning into recovery strategies. The session aims to identify actionable pathways for aligning peacebuilding and climate adaptation efforts, with an emphasis on community engagement, donor coordination, and sustainable financing.
Speakers:
- Dr Assem Mayar, Climate Expert, Climate Security Expert Network (CSEN)
- Gabriela Manea, Program Manager, Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF)
- Ghulam Isaczai, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Resident Coordinator, and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI)
- Esra Buttanri, Senior Portfolio Manager-Climate Action, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) (tbc)
Moderated by Emma Whitaker, Senior Adviser, adelphi
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