IIASA at COP30 in Brazil

Monday, 10 November

13:30-14:30, German Pavilion

Making international mechanisms fit for adaptation and loss & damage: Insights from community level
Reinhard Mechler

As the climate crisis intensifies, particularly marginalised urban dwellers and other communities around the world are in need of enhanced support for locally-led adaptation and attention to Loss&Damage.

Building on recent research on adaptation and Loss and Damage in marginalized rural and urban settlements and communities in different cities and countries by Misereor and UNU-EHS as well as the Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance and IIASA, this event discusses multi-level approaches to effectively avert, minimise, and address loss and damage and to localise funding arrangements.

12:15-12:45, Evidence for Climate Action Pavilion, #E4CA

Understanding Resilience and M&E of interventions: insights from the  Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance
Reinhard Mechler, Raquel Guimaraes and Jung Hee Hyun

The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance, set up in 2013 to measure and manage community-level flood resilience across the globe, has been expanding its focus to diverse climate-related hazards, which highlights the need to understand whether its resilience-building program, including interventions, are effectively driving systems change, sustainability, and scalability. As part of resilience measurement, the Alliance is regularly conducting post-disaster resilience assessment for key indicators, such as disaster-related deaths and injuries. We present evidence from 66 flood-affected communities across 7 countries demonstrating that preparedness is the most critical lever for reducing flood-related health impacts, decreasing both immediate fatalities and injuries. The study further reveals complex interactions between resilience, demographic factors, flood characteristics, and health outcomes, underscoring the necessity for context-specific, outcome-focused approaches to building flood resilience rather than assuming capital improvements uniformly reduce all disaster health impacts. At interventions level, a new initiative has been launched to test, refine, and institutionalize diverse monitoring and evaluation approaches across country programs, linking intervention design to measurable outcomes and long-term resilience.

Tuesday, 11 November

16:00, virtual

Managing Overshoot and Restoring Earth’s Life-Supporting Systems or Living Beyond Limits: Consequences of Missing the Decisive Decade for Preserving Our Planet’s Life-Supporting Systems
Nebojsa Nakicenovic

This session will focus on the systemic actions needed to respond to this new reality. The panelists will hone in on overshoot management and present strategies for reducing the duration and magnitude of climate overshoot, thereby minimizing associated socio-economic and ecological risks. The discussion will focus on the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, expansion of renewable energy, and the scaling up of both nature-based and technological carbon dioxide removal solutions.

Tuesday, 18 November

Spanish Pavilion

Build (Back) to Adapt and Transform
Nadejda Komendantova

This session will explore how cities can turn the devastating impacts of extreme flood events into opportunities for transformative adaptation and sustainable urban renewal. Building on a long-standing series of insurance-focused events at the Pavilion, this discussion will address the intersection between mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. As floods become more frequent and intense due to a warming climate, reconstruction offers a unique moment to rethink and redesign urban spaces—enhancing social, economic, and environmental wellbeing while accelerating decarbonisation.

The event brings together experts, policymakers, and practitioners—including representatives from UNDRR, IIASA, MAPFRE Insurance, and flood-affected cities—to share first-hand experiences and policy insights. It will highlight the importance of integrating disaster recovery cycles into urban planning and the role of innovative insurance mechanisms in building just and resilient communities. Through guided discussions and city testimonies, the session will contribute to the ongoing dialogue leading to the IPCC’s forthcoming report on Cities and Climate Change, underscoring how lessons from disaster recovery can guide the transformation of urban environments toward resilience and sustainability.

Wednesday, 19 November

10:30-11:30, Science for Climate Action/WMO-IPCC-MERI Pavilion

Climate Data to Action: Enhancing Clean Energy Resilience and Mitigation with Climate Services
Keywan Riahi

This session will explore how climate-informed renewable energy strategies can enhance clean energy resilience amid growing climate variability. Drawing on insights from the joint WMO–IRENA 2024 Year in Review, it will examine how shifts in temperature, rainfall, and wind patterns are reshaping renewable energy generation and demand across regions. Building on this evidence, the discussion will turn to how seasonal forecasts, hydrometeorological data, and regional climate services are being integrated into energy planning and risk management to anticipate and address these changing conditions. Country representatives and technical experts will then share practical lessons from implementation efforts across the full value cycle that demonstrate how climate information can be translated into actionable energy investment decisions. Finally, the session will look ahead to emerging opportunities for expanding access to climate data, close knowledge gaps, strengthening regional collaboration, and aligning long-term energy priorities more closely with national development strategies.  

Keywan Riahi will discuss in a panel new evidence on how mitigation and adaptation interact under climate variability, highlighting implications for energy security and system resilience.

11:30-12:30, Spanish Pavilion

From Scenarios to Action: Spanish and European Cooperation and Climate Science for Evidence-Based Adaptation in Latin America
Keywan Riahi

This event will showcase the results of the action “Generation of High-Resolution Climate Change Scenarios for Central America”, implemented by FIAP and AEMET under the EUROCLIMA programme. The initiative, led by Spain within the European Team Europe framework, strengthens institutional and scientific capacities for climate planning and adaptation in Central America and lays the foundations for enhanced regional collaboration with South America. In addition, practical ways to align scenarios with key justice considerations while remaining compatible with international climate targets will be highlighted.

Keywan Riahi will deliver a keynote speech on Embedding Justice Considerations into Models: Recent Conceptual and Technical Advancements, and will discuss how these advancements can support climate adaptation efforts, particularly in the Central American context.

Thursday, 20 November

Spanish Pavilion

Disinformation and Climate Action
Nadejda Komendantova

This event will explore how misinformation and disinformation undermine public trust, hinder climate policy implementation, and distort global environmental communication. Bringing together experts, policymakers, researchers, and journalists, the discussion will highlight the growing challenge of false narratives that target climate science, environmental activism, and sustainable development. The session will address the spread of misleading content through social media and digital platforms, emphasizing the need for evidence-based information, critical literacy, and international collaboration to counteract harmful narratives.

The event will showcase ongoing research, case studies, and best practices for combating climate-related disinformation. It will underline the importance of strengthening media transparency, supporting science communication, and promoting resilient information ecosystems that can withstand manipulative tactics. Participants will gain practical insights into policy strategies and innovative tools that enhance public engagement and foster trust in climate action. By focusing on the intersection of digital integrity and environmental governance, the event contributes to global efforts toward an informed, united, and effective response to the climate crisis.

12:00, Digital Pavilion

Empowering Citizens with ICTs for Climate Resilience
Nadejda Komendantova

Join the Adaptation AGORA project for an interactive workshop at the COP 30 Digital Pavilion! We will showcase how innovative Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools are revolutionizing citizen engagement and capacity building in climate adaptation.

Discover key project results, including our Policy Whitepaper and Digital Handbook, and get a firsthand look at our suite of ICTs: the Adaptation Collaboration Hub (ACH), Climate Data & Disinformation Academies, and our flagship Mobile App.

The highlight of the session is a live, interactive workshop where all participants can team up to compete using the Adaptation AGORA Mobile App. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to experience our tools and discuss how to overcome barriers to digital literacy and climate action.

14:45-15:45, Planetary Science Pavilion

Pathways to Sustainable Development: Latest Research on How to Stay Within Safe and Just Planetary Boundaries
Keywan Riahi 

Achieving global climate and sustainability goals requires development pathways that are both safe for the planet and just for humanity. This COP30 session will present cutting-edge analyses on how countries and the global community can navigate climate transitions while respecting planetary boundaries and ensuring decent living standards for all. More.

Topics include:

• Multiple pathways to sustainable development
• National development narratives 
• The Earth Commission’s Transformation Pathways Initiative
• Decent living standards for all

16:45-18:15, Side Event Room 5

UFRJ/IIASA: Overshoot, justice and multilateral sovereign guarantee mechanisms in climate policy and finance 
Keywan Riahi 

Latest scenarios by different modelling teams show that overshooting causes irreversible impacts, limits to adaptation, and loss and damage. Just transition policies can include a multilateral sovereign guarantee mechanism allowing for development and financial benefits in developing countries.

A distinguished panel will discuss pathways for a just transition—spanning power sector change, overshoot and adaptation, and innovative climate‐finance guarantees. Keywan Riahi will showcase the latest advances in embedding justice into global IAMs, including operationalizing decent living energy standards. More.