COP30
11 November 2025, h. 11:30 AM –1:00 PM (local time in Belém) | Belém, Brasil – Italian Pavilion
Exploring the challenges of coastal resilience in a changing climate and focusing on identifying scalable best practices for more effective risk management, the side event “Empowering Coastal Communities: science-based solutions for resilience and adaptation” will bring together international experts at the Italian Pavillon “Made for Our Future” (PV-A08, Blue Zone, Parque da Cidade de Belém) during COP30, on November 11th at 11.30AM.
The joint side event is organized by CoastPredict and Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience (DCC-CR), with the partecipation of CMCC Foundation as co-organizer. The conference serves as a platform for interregional dialogue and scientific cooperation, aligning with Italy’s broader strategy on environmental innovation and climate justice.
The event showcases the collaboration and advances happening through the GlobalCoast Network, an initiative of the CoastPredict Programme under the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, which connects 135 pilot sites in over 70 countries.
Discussions will highlight progress in multi-hazard early warning systems and adaptation planning, addressing the combined impacts of climatic and anthropogenic threats. Special attention will be given to experiences and solutions developed by Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean and Pacific, and coastal countries in Southeast Asia.
Agenda:
11:30-11:35 – Science for resilient coasts and a safer future
Giovanni Coppini, Principal Scientist and Director Strategic Programme “Global Coasts as a New Frontier”, CMCC Foundation
11:35-11:50 – Shared ocean, shared challenges, shared solutions: the importance of regional collaboration
Lorna Inniss, Head of Regional Secretariat, UNESCO-IOC’s Sub-commission for the Caribbean and adjacent regions (IOCARIBE)
Espen Ronneberg, Senior Advisor, Climate Change Multilateral Agreements, Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science
Wenxi Zhu, Head of Office, UNESCO-IOC’s Sub-commission for the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) (remote)
11:50-12:35 – Roundtable discussion: Connecting communities and scaling solutions for coastal resilience
Moderated by Giulia Galluccio, Director, Advanced Training and Education Center (ATEC), CMCC Foundation
Speakers:
Giovanni Coppini, Principal Scientist and DirectorStrategic Programme “Global Coasts as a New Frontier”, CMCC Foundation
Ghada El Serafy, Senior Specialist in Data Science and Coastal Expert, Deltares (remote)
Lorna Inniss, Head of Regional Secretariat, IOCARIBE
Yvonne Lokko, Head, Agro-Innovation and Bioeconomy Unit, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) (remote)
Freeman Elohor Oluowo, Founder and Coordinator, African Centre for Climate Actions and Rural Development
Espen Ronneberg, Senior Advisor, PCCOS
Janice Trotte-Duhá, Director of Infrastructure and Operations, INPO
Wenxi Zhu, Head of Office, WESTPAC (remote)
12:35-13:00 – Audience discussion
This event is one of the several CMCC contributions to COP 30, the 30th edition of the Conference of the Parties (COP) organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
COP 30 is a major United Nations climate conference that brings together world leaders, non-governmental organizations, and experts to negotiate and advance global actions to address climate change. The conference will focus on implementing international climate agreements and promoting sustainable development through priority actions to tackle the climate crisis.