Abstract: Translating interdisciplinary approaches in science, technology, and innovation (STI) into effective policy action is essential to scaling up adaptation and resilience pathways. These efforts are central to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Climate Agreement.
India took a leading role in advocating for climate justice during its G20 Presidency in 2023 and at COP28, where it championed the cause of vulnerable nations. This leadership contributed to the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund (LDF), ensuring that the most affected are prioritized in access to climate financing. At COP28, India emphasized that climate action must be grounded in the principles of equality, climate justice, and shared responsibilities. Domestically, India has been steadfast in integrating climate resilience and adaptation into its development strategies, allocating significant resources toward these efforts. In 2021–2022, adaptation-related expenditure accounted for 5.60% of GDP, a notable increase from 3.7% in 2015–2016. As global and national momentum builds around adaptation financing and the operationalization of the LDF, it is imperative to strengthen the integration of adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR). This integration must also confront the interlinked challenges of poverty, inequality, and climate risk, ensuring that efforts are both inclusive and transformative. In the context of polar and ocean studies, climate change is increasingly giving rise to complex, compound, and cascading risks, particularly in the glaciated regions of the Asian high mountains. These emerging risks present both challenges and opportunities for promoting just transitions toward sustainable and climate-resilient development.
Based on the above, the speaker will anchor a research statement aligned with NIAS’s key focus areas—climate studies, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and risk communication in increasingly riskier climate.
About the speaker: Dr. Sanjay K. Srivastava has over 25 years of experience at the forefront of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation across India, South Asia, and the Asia-Pacific. As Chief of Disaster Risk Reduction at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), he led the UN’s regional efforts to integrate science, policy, and technology in building resilient societies. Under his leadership, ESCAP’s Asia-Pacific Disaster Report (since 2010) and the data-driven Risk and Resilience Portal significantly influenced high-level intergovernmental negotiations and catalyzed the development of national disaster risk reduction strategies and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) across the region. Prior to his role as Chief at ESCAP, Dr. Srivastava served as ESCAP’s Regional Adviser on Disaster Risk Reduction, Head of the SAARC Disaster Management Centre in New Delhi, and Deputy Project Director of the Disaster Management Support Programme at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
He has authored more than 150 publications and 50 policy blogs, and served as lead author for key regional reports including the Asia-Pacific Disaster Report (UNESCAP), The State of Climate in Asia and the Southwest Pacific (WMO, 2020–2023), and G20 India Presidency – Early Warnings for All: Opportunities for Action.
Dr. Srivastava holds a Ph.D. from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), an M.Sc. and B.Sc. (Honours) in Physics from Patna University, and an Executive Certificate in Digital Transformation from the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.