Initiating and growing the COP Resilience Hub 

• In 2021, the Resilience Hub initiative was launched at COP26 in Glasgow and incorporated Regional Resilience Hubs across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean with an aim to diversify voices in climate resilience discussions and amplify local perspectives.
• To date, the COP26, 27, 28, and 29 have had over 40,000 physical visitors, 20,000+ registered users on the bespoke digital platform, joining over 300 sessions. 
• Facilitated by GRP’s effort, funds were mobilised from the private sector to enable the delivery of the Resilience Hub covering staff time, construction and design, support for live streaming and digital inclusion of partners and support to grassroots organisations. Additional funds was secured in 2023 to enable the participation of 16 grassroots and youth fellows in COP28 discussions, fostering diverse representation and active engagement in climate resilience dialogues.

Since its inception at COP26, the Resilience Hub offers a unified space for diverse stakeholders to converge, collaborate, and foster action on resilience and adaptation. The idea of situating the Resilience Hub in the Blue Zone of UNFCCC COPs has delivered key uniting moments for the resilience and adaptation community across sectors, scales, and geographies. Its establishment marked a significant milestone, bridging physical and virtual realms to facilitate unprecedented engagement and showcase partner initiatives, particularly amplifying voices from the Global South.

Building on its success, the initiative maintained momentum through COP28, serving as a central conduit for diverse stakeholders to convene and drive action. Expanded engagement with grassroots and community-level actors, in conjunction with international partners, enriched dialogue and elevated traditionally marginalised voices within global climate discourse. In 2023, the Resilience Hub initiative continued to evolve, integrating Regional Resilience Hubs into its strategy for COP28. These regional hubs, spanning Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean, played a pivotal role in amplifying local voices and priorities, ensuring broader representation and fostering inclusive participation in global climate deliberations. Over the years, the Resilience Hub evolved to incorporate deeper engagement strategies and a more inclusive approach, fostering meaningful dialogue and action on climate resilience.

Significance

The Resilience Hub’s significance lies in its role as a catalyst for collective action and systemic change in the realm of climate adaptation and resilience. Its emergence during COP26 marked a pivotal moment, bridging the gap between state and non-state actors and fostering meaningful dialogues. The Hub also  demonstrated its crucial role in mobilising resources for resilience-building efforts by securing substantial private sector funding.  

From the outset, the Resilience Hub and its integration of Regional Resilience Hubs significantly enhanced its impact and inclusivity. The Regional Hubs actively engage with local stakeholders through a variety of methods, including virtual and in-person events, international meetings, conferences, capacity-building workshops, and the creation of communication resources. These efforts maximise the voices of regional actors’ and ensure that local priorities and lessons learned are effectively incorporated into global climate discussions.

Contribution

GRP, as a leading managing partner of the Resilience Hub, guided the development of an inclusive and engaging programme for COP. Working closely with Regional Resilience Hub leads, GRP ensured that regional priorities and perspectives were integrated into the overall Resilience Hub agenda. This collaborative approach facilitated the organisation of diverse activities, including workshops, events, and capacity-building sessions, aimed at maximising regional engagement and impact. GRP led to synthesising key findings from all hubs through the Resilience Hub synthesis report and, effectively communicating main findings to high-level decision-makers, including the High-Level Champions in setting global policy agendas.

GRP’s continued commitment to inclusivity is exemplified by the Resilience Hub hybrid format programming allowing open-access digital platform which provides a window into COP for all stakeholders especially those typically excluded from these conversations. Half of the Resilience Hub visitors participated virtually with 50% connecting from the Global South, reflecting a commitment to equitable engagement and diverse representation. 

GRP plays an instrumental role in building extensive networking and collaboration between private, public, and civil society actors. GRP spearheaded private sector engagement for COP26, working alongside the Atlantic Council to secure support from 21 major sponsors, including JP Morgan, Google, IBM, and the UNFCCC. In 2022 and 2023, GRP raised further funding to support the Resilience Hub’s delivery demonstrating the private sector’s strong appreciation for collaborative efforts. This collaboration went beyond financial contributions; sponsors actively participated in the program, becoming integral to discussions on advancing adaptation and resilience.  Additional funds were secured to support the participation of 16 grassroots and youth fellows in COP28, fostering diverse representation and active engagement in climate resilience dialogues. This curated engagement has led to continued interest from sponsors to be involved in future Resilience Hub initiatives, demonstrating the Hub’s success in creating lasting partnerships.

GRP will continue to  identify gaps in resilience, advocating for inclusivity at every stage, and facilitating opportunities for reflection and learning have been pivotal in the Resilience Hub’s accomplishments. Looking ahead, we aim to build upon these strengths, further enhancing our role as a leader in resilience programming and policy, and continuing to make meaningful contributions to global efforts in addressing climate resilience challenges.