ICLEI South Asia participated in three key side events at the 81st session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok on April 23, 2025, and also showcased its work at a booth. At the events, ESCAP members, regional organizations, partners, and practitioners shared their experiences and best practices for building climate- and disaster-resilient resilient cities.

Speaking at a side event titled “Urban Resilience and Nature,” ICLEI Deputy Secretary General and Executive Director, ICLEI South Asia, Mr. Emani Kumar spoke about ICLEI’s role in supporting cities globally in building resilience to climate and disaster-related shocks. He said, “There is an urgent need to make cities climate-resilient and enhance climate adaptation through proper planning. ICLEI is supporting urban local governments to prepare Climate Resilient Cities Action Plans (CRCAP). ICLEI South Asia has supported more than 10 cities in India to prepare their CRCAPs, and continues to work with many more.

“We also assist cities in implementing climate action plans and in other initiatives such as developing Miyawaki forests, urban food gardens, city biodiversity indexes and biodiversity maps, besides scaling up capacity building resources such as compendiums on nature-based solutions and climate finance, and organizing investment forums to bridge the gap between cities and financial institutions.”

Mr. Kumar also moderated a panel discussion at another side event on “Catalyzing Inclusive and Sustainable Urban Development: Transit-oriented Development”, in which senior urban planning and transportation experts and officials from Japan, Thailand and Indonesia participated.

The third side event was on “Best Practices & Facilitated Discussion Empowering City Leaders on Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Finance”,  in which city leaders, policymakers, and experts explored collaborative solutions, including regional initiatives and tools for disaster risk reduction, risk assessment, resilience planning, and early-stage project preparation. Mr Keshav Jha, Senior Manager (Research & Advocacy), ICLEI South Asia, shared his views on disaster risk reduction and climate finance. The participants also exchanged information on best practices, and on tackling financing challenges and aligning strategies with global frameworks.