Race to Resilience

Catalysing a step-change in global ambition to build the resilience of 4 billion people by 2030.

The High Level Climate Champions Race to Resilience — the sibling campaign to Race To Zero — was launched at the Climate Adaptation Summit on 25 January by Alok Sharma, COP26 President designate, after an opening statement from Ban Ki-moon, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations.

The campaign sets out to catalyse a step-change in global ambition for climate resilience, putting people and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses but thrive in spite of them.

Led by the High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action – Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz – Race to Resilience aims:

• By 2030, to catalyse action by non-state actors that builds the resilience of 4 billion people from vulnerable groups and communities to climate risks

Through a partnership of initiatives, the campaign will focus on helping frontline communities to build resilience and adapt to impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat, drought, flooding and sea-level rise.

• Urban: Transform urban slums into healthy, clean and safe cities
• Rural: Equip smallholder farmers to adapt and thrive
• Coastal: Protect homes and businesses against climate shocks

Dr Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Center for Climate Change and Development, said: “This decade is for action. Within 10 years, decisive action must catalyse change across the world and build the resilience of 4 billion people from groups and communities who are vulnerable to climate risks. Every company, city, university and NGO should be part of the Race to Resilience.”

Join the Race to Resilience

Non-state actor-led regional, national or global initiatives are invited to express their interest to join the Race to Resilience.

Initiatives must share the vision and goals of the Race to Resilience, and meet the following criteria:

• Pledge: To translate new and existing targets, directly or indirectly, into the numbers of people from vulnerable groups and communities who will be made more resilient to climate risks
• Plan: To use the best knowledge and scientific evidence, and share a clear plan by COP26 to take action towards this commitment with interim targets and milestones
• Proceed: To take immediate action to pursue commitment in support of Race to Resilience, and has an active and functional secretariat able to request and monitor members
• Publish: Agree to report back on progress annually starting at COP26

To register your interest please fill out this form and send it to resilience@climatechampions.team

For more information on the criteria, please see here.

All expressions of interest will be reviewed by the Climate Champions Team. The Team will make a decision on which initiatives will be invited to join the Race To Resilience. Initiatives not meeting the criteria will be advised on how they can support the Campaign.

Applications received by 12 February 2021 will be reviewed by early March. Applications received after 12 February are expected to be reviewed by early May 2021.