In a world undergoing profound transformations, building resilient infrastructure is essential to protect people and the environment, and ensure access to services. But resilient infrastructure requires more than just engineering and cannot be built by a single sector alone.
On 9 - 10 April 2025 the seventy-first session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe will convene at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, with its high-level segment held under the overall theme "Climate action and resilient infrastructure for a sustainable future."
Across the globe, the escalating impacts of climate change - rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, intensifying extreme weather events, and rising sea levels - pose significant challenges to all forms of infrastructure. Designing infrastructure that is resilient to climate change is essential not only to safeguard lives and livelihoods but also to secure the continuity of critical services that underpin social and economic stability.
Resilient infrastructure can minimize the direct losses caused by extreme weather events, reducing repair and recovery costs while preventing the cascading effects of disrupted supply chains and essential services. In addition to protecting communities and economies, a resilient built environment can play a vital role in achieving the dual objectives of climate mitigation and adaptation. A broad range of UNECE activities and instruments can be leveraged to support member States in integrating resilience and sustainability into infrastructure-related policies and projects, aligning with global climate goals and national priorities.
In a high-level dialogue, heads of delegations will have the opportunity to highlight flagship initiatives from their countries and share experiences and good practices. Roundtables will focus on advancing climate action and resilient infrastructure through perspectives from the UNECE membership, and scaling up UNECE initiatives by deepening collaboration with project financiers.
During the session, delegations will also consider several draft decisions put to the Commission, take stock of the progress made related to the theme of the past biennium ("Digital and green transformations for sustainable development"), and review other activities of UNECE.
