Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) has launched ‘Climate Talks’ to promote dialogue on climate change adaptation and resilience. The Climate Talks show is part of ADPC’s ongoing knowledge-sharing efforts, focusing on its key thematic areas.

Climate Talks is a knowledge sharing panel discussion series that aims to share information about the impact of climate change and the urgency of adaptation at policy and public level. Discussions also highlight adaptation needs of climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, water and road infrastructure with a particular focus on gender, policy, planning and finance.

ADPC organized two episodes of Climate Talks in the first quarter of 2021. The first panel discussion was focused on “Climate-informed water accounting: the need for measuring to plan and manage water resources”. This panel discussion engaged with integrated water resource management (IWRM) experts to explore the status and viability of water accounting in South Asia, especially for the agriculture sector in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan.

The first discussion explored the need for water accounting to help governments better plan and manage water resources that are already threatened by the impacts of climate change.

Click here to download the Policy Brief which outlines the key reflections from speakers or catch the highlights below:

The second discussion examined the cross-cutting theme of gender and diversity in climate change with the topic ‘Applying a gender lens to climate actions: why it matters’. The panel discussion engaged with gender experts in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan who emphasized that when there’s better access to gender-related information in connection to climate change, governments can work towards building capacity and integrating a gender lens to policies, plans and investments.

Some notable reflections included disproportionate impacts of disasters and climate change on women, promoting behavioral change in current disaster institutions and mechanisms and improving women’s participation in decision-making processes that affect them. Catch the highlights of the second discussion below:

The ‘Climate Talk’ panel discussions are part of ADPC’s knowledge sharing efforts under the CARE for South Asia project that is supported by the World Bank.

The project’s overall objective is to contribute to an enabling environment for climate resilience policies and investments in agriculture, transport, water, and policy, planning and finance sectors in South Asia. With a regional outreach, the national- level activities will initially be implemented in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan.

It also seeks to promote the transformation of policies, standards and institutional capacities for climate-resilient development across the key sectors.

The discussions have been integrated into Policy Briefs and Sector Briefs.