Climate Asia annual conference on 19-20 April

As the world grapples with the escalating urgency of the climate crisis, the need to transition from mere dialogue to tangible action has become a pressing imperative. The event, Accelerating Climate Action: Bridging the Gap from Dialogue to Action, is a call to catalyse change. 

The conference will feature prominent keynote speakers sharing their expertise and unique perspectives on critical issues. Dr TV Ramachandra from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will provide insights from the unplanned rapid urbanisation in Bengaluru for designing climate-resilient cities on 20 April. 

The first panel will be a discussion co-hosted by Knowledge Partner EquiLead: Climate Action at Crossroads: Why Does it Need a Feminist Approach. This discussion aims to empower women professionals and organisations and encourage them to become integral parts of the climate action solution. Panellists include Anjalli Ravi Kumar from Zomato; Neha Saigal from Asar Social Impact Advisors; Uthara Narayanan from Buzz Women; and Aiswarya Ananthapadmanabhan from EquiLead, Climate Asia.

Another key panel, Climate Change and Mental Health in Marginalised Communities, co-hosted by Anchor Partner Mariwala Health Initiative, fosters awareness and empathy and seeks actionable solutions to bolster mental health resilience among marginalised communities affected by climate change. Featured speakers are Pranav Sethi from the Geohazards Society; Ishwar Singh from Ek Potlee Ret Ki; Kalki Subramaniam from the Sahodari Foundation, and Ruby Hembrom from Adivaani.

The discussion on Bridging Climate Science and Action: The Essential Role of Capacity Building in Climate Adaptation, co-hosted by Center for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy, explores the unique challenges and needs faced by civil society organisations in climate adaptation. Speakers include Sonya Fernandes from Ashraya Hastha Trust; Pramel Kumar Gupta from the National Coalition for Natural Farming; Dr Indu K Murthy from CSTEP, and Koushik Yanamandram from Climate Asia.

The panel on Enhancing Global South Collaboration for Climate Resilience: Scaling Innovations for Small-scale Farmers aims to delve into the challenges and opportunities for small-scale farmers within the Global South, emphasising sustainable practices and conservation. This discussion features Siddharth Chaturvedi from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Dr Veena Srinivasan from WELL Labs; Sashi Kumar from GIZ; and Raisha Galib from Climate Asia.

A fireside session on Charting the Course for Systems Change in India’s Development Sector will be co-hosted by Arthan. The speakers for this session are Nawaz Alam from Heifer International; Archana Tripathi from Saahas; Mridhula Sridharan from AVPN; Dr Savitha S Babu from Samvada Badaku; and Anchal Kakkar from Arthan. The aim is to build thought leadership around systems change by facilitating the dissemination of data-driven insights and knowledge exchange.  

The Harmony in Sustainability: Regenerative Agriculture, Sustainable Supply Chains, and Climate-Resilient Ecosystems panel, co-hosted by Beetle Regen Solutions, aims to redefine sustainability through the lens of regenerative agriculture. The speakers include Rajeev Baruah, an Independent Agriculture Expert; Sheetal Sharma from the International Rice Research Institute; Dr Binay Kumar Choudhury from Control Union's Operations in India; and Amol Mishra from Beetle Regen Solutions. 

EY Global Delivery Services co-hosts the Empowering the Green Workforce: Cultivating Sustainable Skills for Impact panel, which discusses the critical need for sustainable skills within the workforce to foster impactful environmental initiatives. The speakers include Rumi Mallick Mitra from EY Global Delivery Services; Mukund Raj from NABARD Consultancy Services; and Satyam Vyas from Climate Asia.

The Scaling Up Climate-Smart Agriculture in India: Opportunities for Entrepreneurs across the Value Chain panel, co-hosted by Anchor Partners NSRCEL, aims to explore the strategies, challenges, and opportunities involved in scaling up climate-smart agriculture in India from various stakeholders' perspectives. The speakers include Archana Stalin from myHarvest Farms; Binu Cherian from HarvestPlus; Abhilash Sethi from Omnivore; and Vijaylaxmi Patil from NSRCEL. 

On 20th April, in addition to panel discussions, the focus will also be on practical learning with exclusive interactive workshops like Green Horizons: Unlocking Talent and Skilling for Climate Futures, Utilizing Digital Tools for Climate-Resilient Agriculture, Challenging the Green Ceiling: How Can Women Leverage Power for Career Growth and Tools for Enhancing NGO Capacity in Climate Adaptation Programmes.

Network partners for this event include MASH Project Foundation; Swissnex; TechnoServe India; Kohmorehbee Consulting; Purpose; National Coalition for Natural Farming; Bengaluru Sustainability Forum’ The Climate Party; EntIISc the ECell of IISc; Impact Investors Council (IIC); Initiative for Climate Action.

Climate Asia is dedicated to strengthening the climate ecosystem in Asia by enabling talent and providing capacity-building and organisational development support for institutional sustainability and thought leadership. It provides access to opportunities and skills to help tackle the climate crisis while prioritising inclusivity and equity. It also works towards empowering underrepresented communities and building the institutional capacity of NGOs to address climate challenges at the grassroots level effectively.

To register visit https://forms.gle/cQmCt3jT3ubPTxLc7.