Enhancing Climate and Disaster Risk Resilience in Asia-Pacific Cities: MCR2030 Workshop in Bangkok

A regional training workshop on Enhancing Climate and Disaster Risk Resilient Cities in Asia and the Pacific was held from 18–20 February 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand. Organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) under the Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) initiative by the Asian Institute of Technology–Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (AIT-RRCAP), the event convened representatives from 13 local governments and mayors across seven countries in South and Southeast Asia.

The GCoM–Gap Fund Partnership contributed to the workshop by hosting a dedicated session aimed at equipping city officials, urban development practitioners, and stakeholders with practical knowledge on accessing climate finance through strong early-stage project preparation. The session highlighted best practices and tools available to local governments to overcome common challenges in financing climate-resilient and low-carbon urban development.

Jazlyn Lee, Engagement Lead for Southeast Asia and South Asia of the GCoM–Gap Fund Partnership, presented the Gap Fund’s role in supporting cities to develop early-stage climate action projects. Her presentation emphasized how cities can leverage technical assistance to advance their climate and disaster risk resilience agendas.

The GCoM–Gap Fund Partnership has been actively collaborating with key partners—among them UNDRR and the MCR2030 initiative—to support cities in accessing early-stage project preparation. This collaboration is crucial to helping cities overcome the first and often most significant barrier to climate finance: developing robust, bankable project concepts. By providing technical assistance and creating platforms for peer learning and exchange, the partnership aims to empower local governments to take the first steps toward implementing low-carbon, climate-resilient development strategies.

Looking ahead, the GCoM–Gap Fund Partnership will continue its collaboration with the UNDRR and participating cities to strengthen support for early-stage project development. A follow-up MCR2030 Series Thematic Webinar is planned for March 2025 (registration link coming soon), offering a platform to further engage local governments and advance discussions initiated during the workshop.