PAST EVENT – From Risk to Resilience: Helping People and Firms in South Asia Adapt to Climate Change

IN-PERSON EVENT 

FROM RISK TO RESILIENCE: HELPING PEOPLE AND FIRMS IN SOUTH ASIA ADAPT TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Date:  Friday, 13 June 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM CET
Venue: EIAS, rue de la Loi 26, B-1040 Brussels

*The Event will be followed by a Networking Lunch

The European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) and the Office of the Chief Economist of the South Asia Region of The World Bank Group had the pleasure of organising the Briefing Seminar “From Risk to Resilience: Helping People and Firms in South Asia Adapt to Climate Change.” The Briefing Seminar was held on Friday, 13 June 2025 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon CET at the European Institute for Asian Studies, rue de la Loi 26, 10th floor, B-1040 Brussels, Belgium. The event was be followed by a Networking Lunch.   

South Asia is the most climate-vulnerable region among emerging markets and developing economies. With governments having limited room to act due to fiscal constraints, the burden of climate adaptation will fall primarily on households and firms. Awareness of climate risks is high; more than three-quarters of households and firms expect a weather shock in the next 10 years. Climate adaptation is widespread, with 63 percent of firms and 80 percent of households having taken action. However, most rely on basic, low-cost solutions rather than leveraging advanced technologies and public infrastructure. Market imperfections limit access to information, finance, and technologies needed for more effective adaptation. If these obstacles were removed, private sector adaptation could offset about one-third of the potential damage from rising global temperatures on South Asian economies. The policy priority for governments is therefore to facilitate private sector adaptation through a comprehensive policy package. The package includes climate-specific measures such as improving weather information access, promoting resilient technologies and weather insurance, and investing in protective infrastructure in a targeted manner. Equally important are broader developmental initiatives with resilience co-benefits, including strengthening core public goods like transportation, water systems, and healthcare, addressing barriers to accessing markets, inputs, and finance, and supporting vulnerable groups through shock-responsive social protection.

The World Bank Group report can be downloaded here.

Programme

09:30 – 10:00 Registration and Welcome Coffee

10:00 – 10:10 Welcoming Remarks by the Chair

• Lin Goethals, Director, EIAS 
  

10:10 – 10:20 Keynote Speech

• Mr Musadik Masood Malik,  Minister of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Islamic Republic of Pakistan

10:20 – 10:40 Presentation by

• Siddharth Sharma,  Lead Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, South Asia Region, The World Bank Group
  

10:40 – 12:00 Panel Discussion

• Dumitru Fornea, Member of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Stefania Benaglia, EU Foreign Policy Advisor
• Siddharth Sharma,  Lead Economist, Office of the Chief Economist, South Asia Region, The World Bank Group
  

*The discussion will be followed by an interactive Q&A Session with the Audience

1:.00 – 13.00 Networking Lunch

Photo credits: The World Bank Group