Among them is Professor David Frame of the University of Canterbury, who said planning for adaptation must become a crucial part of life in the 21st century to help prepare for, and mitigate, some of the risks the world is facing.

“Climate change is amplifying many extreme events across the globe, which is why Northern Hemisphere summers have become punctuated with headlines about heatwaves, wildfires and drought.”

“As the climate continues to change, our extremes will too. This is why it’s vital that communities do whatever they can to prepare for the extreme weather hazards that are emerging as part of climate change,” he said.

Hundreds of international scientists, researchers, policymakers and thought leaders will soon gather to discuss how the world can adapt to climate change at Adaptation Futures 2025 (AF2025), in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand this October. The largest event of its kind will provide an opportunity to learn from experts working at the forefront of innovation and science.

Professor Katrina Brown of the University of Exeter in the UK said making adaptation a priority was critical, but it was important that efforts were done in an integrated and coordinated way.

“We have to demonstrate how adaptation benefits different sectors of society and also how it works for nature, society and the economy. Not only is it necessary for the short term, but it’s important for the long term sustainability and wellbeing of populations around the world.

“Across Europe in the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in death rates associated with extreme heat, and here in the UK we are experiencing our third major heatwave within a month. We see a repeated pattern where the people who are most affected are the elderly, people with underlying health problems, and people who live in poor quality housing or are homeless, and the subsequent issues of more emergency call-outs and a fragile health system. This means adaptation is a social justice issue.”

She said events like AF2025 were important for cross-national learning about adaptation research and action, as well as hearing from diverse voices including Pacific and Indigenous representatives – which is one of the core themes of this year’s event.

“We are at a decisive point where we need to take action now. There are many things we can do, and lessons we can learn from other countries. Bringing a critical mass of scientists, researchers and policymakers together at AF2025 to test these ideas around accelerating adaptation is very important. We’re going to learn from people at the frontline of the climate crisis, including Pacific and Indigenous people, and hear the latest science and where adaptation has been successful,” Professor Brown said.

“People are realising that climate change isn’t just about a gradual couple of degrees warming across the board, it’s about massive disruptions and uncertainty. Across the world, we are experiencing these extreme conditions and a growing realisation that we are very poorly prepared. There are a range of options around nature-based solutions which show a lot of promise and benefit but we urgently need to be investing in adaptation efforts now.”

Adaptation Futures is the flagship event of the United Nations’ World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). This year, it will be co-hosted by WASP and Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC), in a hybrid format allowing people to join in person or online.

AF2025 will bring together scientists, governments, businesses and leaders. This year’s event has a particular emphasis on issues for the Pacific and Indigenous people and is supported by a sponsorship consortium of national and international partners, and foundation sponsor, the Adaptation Fund.