Welcome!

You are invited to participate in the Climate Change and Vulnerability Conference to be held 13-14 February 2007 at the Peace Palace in The Hague. This conference addresses the need to build capacities for proactive local leadership to address the risks of climate warming, particularly in vulnerable island and coastal states.

The goals of the conference are to:

• Increase understandings of the risks of climate change and options for adaptation
• Design university curricula that build climate leadership and foster local adaptation
• Develop partnerships among education, research and training institutions

Climate warming and sea level rise present complex environmental security risks in every region of the world. For island and low-lying countries, hazardous conditions include flooding, coastal erosion, salination of fresh water resources, loss of biodiversity, drought, and extreme weather events. Communities coping with poverty are particularly vulnerable.

The Netherlands, a low-lying country where flood defense and precautionary measures are the highest in the world, is the host country for this international conference on climate change. This venue offers a preeminent opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from Dutch advocacy, participatory decision-making processes, adaptation measures, and incentives for private sector stewardship.

To enhance local capacities for climate adaptation, distinguished technical experts, policy makers, scholars, and community leaders will engage in a variety of interactive learning activities. The program includes guest speakers, working groups, panel discussions, networking opportunities and resource displays.

Key questions to address during the conference include:

• How to mainstream climate issues and build adaptation capacities through higher education?
• How to integrate adaptation measures within sustainable development projects?
• How to foster the proactive local implementation of adaptation policies?
• How to engage the private sector?
• What are the applied research and evaluation priorities?

The conference is unique in offering island and coastal representatives a leadership role in the discussion of geographic and cultural realities, coastal and water management issues, disaster preparedness and response, emerging strategies and technologies, and institutional cooperation. In addition, interactive sessions provide opportunities to learn from those addressing climate issues in other geographic areas.