Global Forum 2017 | Enhancing Climate Services for Infrastructure Investments (CSI)

Overview

This resource was submitted by the Climate Risk Institute for use by theCanAdapt Climate Change Adaptation Community of Practice.

This article is an abridged version of the original text, which can be downloaded from the right-hand column. Please access the original text for more detail, research purposes, full references, or to quote text.

Climate Change is a challenge for the functioning of our infrastructure. Transportation infrastructure such as roads and bridges, ports and railroads are as much at risk as critical energy or coastal protection infrastructure. From urban utility networks and public buildings in rural and remote areas to private residential areas, the consequences of climate change are already visible and will lead to increasing damage, loss and higher costs for future generations. A fundamental means to reduce the future burden are climatological information to better project future climate conditions, such as sea level rise and extreme weather events. Although climate information has become more accessible, the focus on application for decision making is a new field which requires the involvement of diverse stakeholders and development of new cooperation modes.

The topic has also gained international recognition in line with the question how to implement the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Hence, the project “Enhancing Climate Services for Infrastructure Investments (CSI)” has been created as part of the International Climate Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Construction and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) to facilitate the cooperation between countries to develop and test approaches towards improving climate services to support climate resilient infrastructures. Therefore, global dialogues represent an important mechanism of the project to facilitate cross-country exchange and discussion on these challenges.

Between September 11th and 15th 2017, members and partners of the CSI Project came together for the first Global Forum in Germany. The focus of the first Global Forum was to provide an opportunity for international exchange, and to develop a common understanding of expected outcomes of the project. Moreover, a great part was dedicated to debate about the conceptual fundamentals of climate services, methods for climate risk assessment of infrastructure and to learn from experiences in Germany.

This documentation summarizes the Forum’s discussion and its main messages. The images produced are the result of the real-time graphical recording of all sessions of the forum and shall guide this documentation in form of a commented illustrative style. Thanks to all participants for making the Forum a successful event.