A race against time and against ourselves. Against the dangerous idea that we can’t do this, that there is no way.
Unlike most races, it won’t have one winner. In this race we all win, or we all lose. Winning it requires a radical, unprecedented level of collaboration, from all corners of our world. From our cities, businesses, regions and investors. From people everywhere.
Together we’ll be racing for a better world. A zero carbon world. A healthier, safer, fairer world. A world of wellbeing, abundance and joy, where the air is fresher, our jobs are well-paid and dignified, and our future is clear.
To get there we need to run fast, and get faster. We need more and more people to join the race, and right now. This is not about 2050, it’s about today.
Together, we can do this. And we’re already on our way.
A global campaign – the sibling to Race to Zero – catalysing a step-change in global ambition for climate resilience, putting people and nature first in pursuit of a resilient world where we don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses but thrive in spite of them.
We are racing towards a better world.
In the Race to Zero and now the Race to Resilience, businesses, cities, regions, investors and civil society are acting fast to transform the prospects of billions of people. Beyond the finish lines a safer, healthier, cleaner world awaits.
A world where we have worked together to both mitigate and adapt to the threats posed by climate change. A resilient world, with zero carbon and zero vulnerability, where nature – and therefore every one of us – thrives. We need to run these races together, at the same time – and win them both.
The civil rights activist James Baldwin once said: “not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”.
Many lives are already being ruined by climate change. If we don’t act now, billions more lives will also be ruined, including our own.
But if we choose to face this together, now, we can ensure that all our communities – especially the most vulnerable – don’t just survive climate shocks and stresses, but thrive in spite of them.
Together, we can do this.
Together, we will thrive.
An initiative that aims to make smallholder farmers around the world more resilient, by leveraging the benefits of Nature-based Solutions (NbS), has partnered with the Race to Resilience.
It takes more than rain to create a flood, and more than a spark to start a wildfire. All of the elements of our climate system – and the hazards it produces – are connected in one way or another, explains Christopher J White, University of Strathclyde.
How communities develop infrastructure, social and economic systems, planning and preparedness can make them more resilient – or more vulnerable – to extreme events, explains Scott Denning, Professor of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University.
We know the problems, but we also know the solutions. The challenge is turning these solutions into actions, by swaying leaders at all levels of society to protect the mangroves still standing and restore what has been lost, argues a new report from the Global Mangrove Alliance (GMA)
Ensure early warning and action against climate disasters are in place for 1 billion people in developing countries, by 2025, and climate finance reaches the most vulnerable.
Apply cities strategies to increase the resilience of all urban settlements by 2021, with specific plans to manage the risk of heatwaves by 2025.
Climate-proof key infrastructure and services, including actions by developing countries where water resources are resilient to climate risks by 2025.
Mainstream climate risk management into all their business plans and investments, by 2025.
Invest into clean and resilient infrastructure technologies, and ensure all transport and industry assets and systems are climate resilient by 2030.
Start adopting measures, including nature-based solutions to make value chains resilient to climate risks by 2021, and guaranteeing resilience and sustainability for all food and agriculture value chains by 2030.
Develop plans for finance strategies and products that fully address climate risks and emissions for building resilient and carbon neutral systems by 2021.
Ensure risk finance and insurance is offered to 500 million vulnerable people by 2025, and to any vulnerable people who need them by 2030.
Stimulate the market for resilient and low carbon infrastructure and services, guaranteeing that private and public investment in this area reaches $6.9 trillion p.a. by 2030 and $97 trillion in total by 2040.
Support the development of sustainable, regenerative, and climate resilient technologies and farming practices, enabling 300 million smallholder farmers to adopt such measures, by 2030.
Research and commercialise technological innovations to make energy, water, building, transport and other key infrastructure more resilient to the physical impacts of climate change.
Devise new and improved solutions for flood prevention and defence so that flood events will no longer affect the ability of individuals or businesses to thrive, by 2040.
Demand meaningful engagement and civic participation in resilience strategies, with particular attention on including women, girls, youth, people living with disabilities, and indigenous people.
Lobby governments and support organisations involved in the global effort to restore 350 million hectares of deforested and degraded land between now and 2030.
Invest savings in companies with climate-resilience and net zero plans and lobby policy makers to regulate companies to adopt disclosure and governance practices that encourage and drive climate resilience.
