Exclusive December event to help senior sustainability professionals advance more effective and wide-ranging response to escalating climate impacts
BusinessGreen is today officially launching the inaugural UK Climate Resilience Forum, which will bring together senior sustainability professionals from across the green economy to jointly explore and advance the emerging best practices shaping corporate climate resilience strategies.
The event will take place at Sustainable Ventures in central London on the afternoon of the December 3rd. The agenda - which is unveiled today - features a host of leading experts and interactive sessions designed to provide an invaluable overview of the climate risks organisations are facing, as well as insights into the latest thinking on how to enhance climate resilience, while continuing to accelerate decarbonisation efforts.
"Surveys consistently show resilience is now a top priority for sustainability professionals, as they seek to respond to physical climate impacts and related economic and geopolitical risks at the same time as striving to keep the net zero transition on track," said BusinessGreen editor-in-chief James Murray. "But there is often a lack of clarity over how to build the business case for adaptation measures and work with partners and policymakers to deliver economy-wide resilience.
"The UK Climate Resilience Forum will bring together senior figures from multiple industries to share best practices and jointly explore how a better understanding of risk and resilience can benefit everyone."
Confirmed speakers at the event include climate scientist Professor Ed Hawkins, chair of the National Heat Risk Commission Emma Howard-Boyd, chief executive of the Green Finance Institute Rhian-Mari Thomas, and executive director at the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative Laurie Laybourn. The event will close with a conversation with former BBC Science Editor David Shukman about his new book on climate resilience, The Response: A Story of Fire and Flood in Britain's New World of Extremes, followed by a networking reception.
The UK Climate Resilience Forum is an invite-only event and senior sustainability professionals can register their interest in attending through the new event website, which also provides full details on the agenda for the day.
The event will be delivered alongside the forum's founding partners, Equans UK & Ireland, Santander UK, QBE, and Buro Happold.
Josie Narramore, climate risk and adaptation lead at Equans UK & Ireland, said climate resilience is "no longer a future consideration for business - it's a practical challenge for organisations today".
"As the impacts of a changing climate place greater pressure on buildings, infrastructure and essential services, resilience is becoming central to business continuity, asset performance, energy security and the wellbeing of people who use these spaces," she added. "We're working to supports customers to understand climate-related risks and make practical decisions that strengthen resilience over the long term and BusinessGreen's new Climate Resilience Forum provides an important platform to bring together different perspectives and focus on the action needed to create places that are better prepared for the future."
Neal Mehta, UK sustainability advisory leader at Buro Happold, said the event comes as "climate resilience is rapidly moving from being a long-term sustainability issue to an operational and strategic priority for organisations, cities, and asset owners".
"The UK Climate Resilience Forum provides an important opportunity to bring different sectors together to share practical approaches and explore how we turn climate risk into decisions, investment, and action," he added.
Fiona Hyde, head of sustainability at Santander UK, said climate resilience was fast becoming "a test of economic security, competitiveness, and customer outcomes".
"Households, businesses and communities are already dealing with more volatile weather, higher costs and disruption to the infrastructure and supply chains they rely on," she said. "Adaptation must sit alongside decarbonisation as part of responsible planning for a changing climate. For finance, the task is practical: helping translate climate risk into better decisions, targeted investment, stronger partnerships and more resilient communities. Santander UK can add most value by convening evidence-led conversations and supporting practical action that helps resilience move from strategic concern to delivery."
Full details for the UK Climate Resilience Forum are available through the event website.
