Member State Advisory Group on Climate - An update on the work of Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure

(16 September, 2021)

Remarks by Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

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Deputy Secretary-General, H.E. Ms. Amina J. Mohammed,

It is my pleasure to provide an update on the work being done by Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure or CDRI. As you are already aware, CDRI was launched at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019 by Prime Minister Modi with the aim of building global, regional and local knowledge platform for disaster and climate resilient infrastructure. It supports members to promote and integrate such infrastructure. In just two years, the Coalition has grown to comprise 26 countries, five international organizations and two private organizations.

2. Despite COVID-19 related challenges, CDRI has  initiated resilience programmes in a variety of areas, including Transport, Power, Health and Urban Sectors in Mauritius and Fiji; thematic programmes in Disaster Risk Finance, Infrastructure Governance, Capacity Building and Training in Sudan and Mongolia; launched eight global and national level studies, including study to help enhance the power sector’s resilience to disasters after Cyclone Fani; Global Study on Disaster Resilience of Airports; Assessment of Fiscal Risks Due to Disaster-induced Loss & Damages in CDRI Member Countries; Risk and Resilience Assessment of Transport Infrastructure; Disaster Resilience of Digital Infrastructure;Technical Standards for Disaster and Climate Resilient Infrastructure;Risk, Resilience and Early Warning System; and Report on disaster protection infrastructure with a specific focus on nature-based solutions.The Secretariat has also received offers of support from Chile, Turkey, European Union, Germany and the Asian Development Bank.

3. CDRI has also undertaken recently some strategic initiatives. The first is a dedicated Technical Assistance Facility for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (TAF-DRI) for Small Islands Developing States in the Pacific, Caribbean and Indian Ocean. It aims to assist SIDS in the development of resilient, sustainable and inclusive infrastructure as they encounter higher levels of risk due to disasters and climate change. The TAF-DRI is scheduled to be launched at COP26 in November.The Secretariat initially intends to raise USD 50 million for the Facility. The Governments of UK and India are the promoting partners for this initiative, while Japan and the US have offered technical support.

4. The second initiative is CDRI’s Global Flagship Report. This biennial Report will be the first dedicated global report on climate and disaster resilient infrastructure. The first one will be released in 2023 at the G20 Summit during India’s Presidency. The Secretariat is also planning to hold an event to discuss the report at the COP26 with a variety of stakeholders.

5. Among the Research and Knowledge Management Initiatives introduced by CDRI, I would specifically like to highlight “DRI Connect” and Sectoral resilience labs. DRI Connect platform for Global DRI Community serves as a mechanism for digital engagement, knowledge sharing and co-creating DRI solutions. It would work through a network of academic and research institutions covering Asia, Africa, Caribbean, and the Pacific.

6. Another remarkable CDRI initiative is the youth engagement component. These include Fellowships, Young Professionals Programme, and Internships to encourage young researchers to work on practical research on DRI. The first phase of the CDRI Fellowships Programme includes 21 fellows from nine countries working on a variety of projects.

7. CDRI’s participation at COP26 is essential to position resilience of infrastructure as instrumental in achieving climate mitigation and adaptation goals. This will also stimulate engagement on DRI with strategic partners and stakeholders. Resilience of infrastructure is emerging not just as a public policy and economic priority globally, but also a humanitarian and social imperative. CDRI’s new initiatives will help to address some of these and position CDRI as a global hub on resilient infrastructure.

Thank you.