Key conference on Climate Change Resilient Infrastructure opens in Nice, France

A key international conference on climate change-resilient infrastructure opened on Friday in Nice, drawing leaders, policymakers, and climate experts to confront the escalating threat of disasters fuelled by a warming planet.

International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI) as it is known, will see video messages by PM Modi, leaders of Antigua & Barbuda, Nauru & Guyana and will focus on coastal resilience and the needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Remember, 37% of the global population lives near coasts, 90% of goods are transported by sea, and coastal communities contribute $3 trillion to global GDP by 2030.

Director General, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Amit Prothi, speaking to WION said, "India has been the leader in this coalition, we have 54 members, the African Union has joined us yesterday. It is important to me to make a difference in the world, & how our infrastructure can be more resilient".

The conference, which takes place at Nautilus Auditorium, La Baleine, Palais Des Expos De Nice, aims to strengthen global dialogue and collaboration on disaster and climate-resilient infrastructure. The gathering brings together governments, organisations, infrastructure stakeholders, and experts to discuss challenges, share best practices, and foster partnerships for resilient infrastructure as climate change events become increasingly common.

It is being organised by the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), a global, multi-stakeholder partnership launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Climate Action Summit on September 23, 2019, in New York. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, CDRI aims to promote the resilience of new and existing infrastructure systems against climate and disaster risks.

The idea of the coalition came to PM Modi after the 2001 Bhuj earthquake, when he was the chief minister of his home state Gujarat. The overall objective of the international platform aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

It is the second major global initiative led by India, following the International Solar Alliance. The organisation has 46 members, which include 39 member countries and 6 6 multilateral organisations, including the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, UNDP.

Key initiatives of the coalition include Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) lunched at COP26 (2021) by India, Australia, Fiji, Jamaica, Mauritius, and the UK, Urban Infrastructure Resilience Programme (UIRP), Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund (IRAF), Global Infrastructure Risk Model and Resilience Index among others.