Rethinking Resilience: How Policies Can Help People to Prepare, Recover, and Adapt

Time

10:00am - 12:00pm (JST)

About

In development discussions, resilience to climate change is often framed in defensive and reactive terms, focusing on top-down measures that treat individuals as passive victims unable to anticipate or protect themselves from shocks. This narrow approach overlooks a critical aspect: the capacity of firms, farms, and households to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to disruptions. True resilience is about enabling people to take proactive measures-preparing for disruptions, recovering from shocks, and adapting to changing circumstances. However, this requires access to the right tools and resources, such as financial means, actionable information, insurance, and liquidity. When these are lacking, communities are left vulnerable. Policies can help bridge this gap-but how?

Addressing this challenge requires a shift in perspective: moving from reactive defense to proactive empowerment. This approach recognizes people as agents of change, capable of anticipating risks and acting on them when provided with the necessary tools. With better access to climate and weather information, individuals can assess risks, make informed decisions, and seize opportunities to invest in new skills, expand businesses, or relocate to safer environments offering better prospects.

This perspective is at the heart of the World Bank's new policy research report, Rethinking Resilience. The report reconceptualizes resilience to climate change as an outcome of not only public programs and investments but also private actions that empower firms, farms, and households. By prioritizing policies that enhance financial resources, provide actionable information, and foster adaptive capacity, resilience can be transformed into a driver of sustainable development in an era of escalating climate risks.

This seminar will delve into the report's findings and explore their application at the country level. Drawing on insights from partner countries, the event will offer cutting-edge knowledge on disaster risk management and climate resilience. By combining the unique country experiences with the World Bank's expertise, the seminar will aim to uncover actionable solutions and foster collaboration to enhance resilience.

Speakers

Indermit Gill, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, World Bank Group

Yoichi Mine, Executive Director, JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development