Buddhi Bahadur Adhikari is a PhD candidate in Sociology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. My current project is about climate justice and urban adaptation in Nepal, with the issues of children and young people living in informal settlements.

Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, is a feminist leader in development, champions women’s rights and climate justice. She has contributed global policies on disaster risk reduction, gender equality, and resilience. She chairs GNDR, advises PDD, represents CANSA, and received a 2024 JCI Lifetime Achievement Award for inspiring youth.

Born in New Zealand, Kate Brown brings a grounded, Māori approach to her work in global sustainability, drawing on values of collective responsibility and collaboration. For 25+ years, she’s partnered with island communities in the Pacific, Caribbean, and beyond to develop solutions that help them thrive amidst the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. As Executive Director of GLISPA and Co-Chair of the Local2030 Islands Network, she focuses on building partnerships that have a real and lasting impact. Karena Lyons is a senior executive with over 20 years of leadership experience. She’s held roles such as NZ Ambassador to Micronesia, the first woman to lead PIDP (a Pacific regional organization), and currently serves as Director of Partnerships at The Pacific Community (SPC) in New Caledonia. Amy Armstrong has 20+ years leadership experience designing and leading global initiatives that catalyze systems change and deliver social and environmental impact. Her diverse background weaves together expertise on climate, nature and cities. Based in Aotearoa NZ, she is a Strategic Advisor to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation and Principal at Weaver Collaborations.

Dr Marine Aubert is a seasoned practitioner in nature-based solutions and climate adaptation with over 8 years of experience in New Caledonia. She leads community-driven projects, fosters indigenous participation, and advocates for sustainable development and local empowerment to enhance resilience in vulnerable communities.

Trent is of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent and born and raised in the Illawarra community on Dharawal Country. He's currently employed as a Project Officer in the Cultural Ecosystems and Adaptation team within NSW DCCEEW. Trent is passionate about empowering Aboriginal communities and supporting them strengthen culture and continuing to care for Country.

Karen Ceballos is a planetary health practitioner, committed to the health of humans, all creatures, planet Earth that sustains all life, and the future generations. Her work has been focused on climate and health systems research in her home country the Philippines.

Connor, a proud Red River Métis Citizen and Harvester from Winnipeg, Manitoba, has worked with the Manitoba Métis Federation for 7 years. As Senior Policy Analyst in the Energy Infrastructure and Resource Management department, he leads research, policy development, and advises on protecting Red River Métis harvesting rights and wildlife management. Riley has worked with the Manitoba Métis Federation for nearly 7 years as a Senior Policy Analyst in the Energy Infrastructure and Resource Management department. His work focuses on safeguarding Red River Métis section 35 harvesting rights within Natural Resources and Traditional Economies Portfolios. Riley is passionate about fishing, hunting, and camping. Phoenix, a proud Red River Métis Citizen, has worked with the Manitoba Métis Federation for 4 years. As the Natural Resources Portfolio Lead, she coordinates the Red River Métis Citizen Science programs, engaging Citizens in monitoring the water, land, and wildlife across the National Homeland. By blending Western science and Traditional Knowledge, the program works to elevate Indigenous Science in Canada.

Rochelle Schneider is the Destination Earth and Copernicus Ecosystem Operations Engineer at the European Space Agency-ESA. Before ESA, she worked at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Dr Schneider's expertise and research focus encompass various remote sensing, climate modelling, and digital twins applications to address public health needs.

Mr Eyob Esatu is graduated Degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology from Addis Ababa University and MA in Public Policy Studies from Ethiopian Civil Service University with more than 18 years of professional work experiences. His research specialties include Africa’s Energy Transition, Climate Adaptation and Sustainability policies Analysis in Africa

Dr. Fonjong is a multidisciplinary scholar, an independent consultant and adjunct professor in the School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Cincinnati-Ohio, USA. He has taught, consulted, and published extensively on gender issues, local development, conflict/peace building, natural resources, food security, climate change and policy response in Africa.

Emilia is a doctoral student at Lund University. Her thesis is focused on climate adaptation justice in Sweden. She uses theories of power and intersectionality to better understand how adaptation is conceptualized, experienced, governed, and resisted, and what the justice implications of these are.

Darcy Glenn is a PhD candidate studying cascading climate risks on the human/cultural/social realm. She's interested in providing actionable climate adaptation information for local governments. Previously, she worked at Woodwell Climate Research Center on their Risk team, and for both Park City and Summit County, Utah as a climate analyst.

Miranda Huston (Te Ati Awa) is a registered Educational Psychologist and PhD candidate researching climate emotions in young people in Aotearoa, with a specific focus on rangatahi Māori. By deepening the understanding of how young people experience and respond emotionally to climate change, she aims to inform adaptation strategies, policy, and education to better support youth in a changing climate.

Elphin Tom Joe is a PhD student interested in advancing methodologies for systematically tracking, evaluating, and enhancing climate adaptation efforts across diverse contexts. He is currently engaged in understanding roles of global actors in climate adaptation, adaptation strategies for island regions and integration of AI in climate risk assessments.

Lucy Kaiser (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māmoe, Waitaha) is a Senior Māori Hazard and Risk Social Scientist at GNS Science and Massey University. Her research explores disaster preparedness and resilience, particularly within Māori, Indigenous and rural communities, with a particular focus on Indigenous perspectives on climate change.

With over 8 years of experience, Maitreyi Koduganti specializes in water and climate policy, gender equity, urban water governance, sustainability, and nature-based solutions.

Glen Skipper (Te Atiawa nui tonu, Taranaki Iwi) Glen is an accomplished visual artist and co-chair of Rautāpatu Foundation. With expertise in climate-centric projects, he integrates Mātauranga Māori to spearhead sustainable community initiatives. His work focuses on empowering indigenous food systems and fostering cultural resilience within Aotearoa, blending traditional knowledge with artistic expression. Bry Kopu (Te Atiawa and Ngāti Mutinga) Bry, co-chair of Rautāpatu Foundation, focuses on ethical engagement and enhancing community resilience. Her leadership in integrating Te Ao Māori drives sustainable development initiatives. Bry's dedication to cultural integrity and empowerment of indigenous systems ensures impactful collaboration and advocacy for sustainable practices rooted in cultural understanding.

Kiara Lasch is a PhD candidate at Utrecht University (the Netherlands), specialising in global delta adaptation using the physical solution space. Her research focuses on the physical feasibility of adaptation strategies under future climate scenarios, and aims to provide insight into adaptation possibilities and limits for deltas around the world.

Isabella Lenihan-Ikin (she/her) is a DPhil candidate at the University of Oxford, where she is studying on a Rhodes Scholarship form Aotearoa New Zealand. Her research focuses on the health impacts of climate change on outdoor workers in Aotearoa.

Dr. Leo Tupuana’i recently completed a PhD in Political Science and International Relations at the University of Canterbury. Her research considers the ways in which members of a Samoan diaspora in Aotearoa New Zealand engage with and think about climate change adaptation in Samoa.

Dr Lockwood specialises in maternal inequities and sociocultural responses during climate crisis events. This current study explores a novel intersection of maternity services, culture, and the climate crisis whilst highlighting areas of inequity. Dr Lockwood’s specialty knowledge in has resulted in invitations from international aid organisations and governments.

Aby is currently focusing on Blue Economy strategy, working closely with coastal communities in relation with YKAN. Throughout the time working at YKAN since 2016, Aby was involved in facilitating blue economy initiatives across YKAN sites such as sustainable seaweed cultivation, sustainable shrimp cultivation, nature-based ecotourism, and local communities as well as added value fisheries. Aby has wide experience in assisting alternative livelihoods sectors like for local community at mangrove area, aquaculture, ecotourism, fisheries post-harvest product, sustainable seaweed. In the past year, Aby has facilitated the strengthening of ecotourism initiatives in various YKAN locations through involvement in increasing organizational management capacity, the value of ecotourism in community groups and conducting studies to replicate local community involvement in tourism.

Zoe Mason is a Master’s student in landscape architecture, researching how Hauora values and Mātauranga Māori can shape urban design in Aotearoa. Their work explores well-being, biodiversity, and climate resilience through culturally responsive frameworks, with a focus on community engagement and sustainable urban futures.

Dr Seona Meharg is an interdisciplinary social scientist researching how individuals and organisations learn and change, specifically asking what enables individuals and groups to take up ownership of knowledge, tools, and processes for more informed decision-making in complex domains.

Dr Susie Moloney, Associate Professor Sustainability and Urban Planning RMIT University. Her research focuses on climate change adaptation, social equity and justice, sustainability and planning and the implications for policy, practice and governance. She is co-founder of the Climate Change Exchange a collaborative cross-sectoral not-for-profit aiming to support adaptation practice.

Nangkilslas, Trent Moraes, Haida from Skidegate, Haida Gwaii. A member of the First Nations Home Energy Save Advisory, Indigenous Clean Energy Opportunity Electricity Table, and chairs several initiatives such as the Aboriginal Capital Committee, Indigenous Climate Adaptation Working Group, Indigenous Coastal Climate Coalition, and Remote Community Energy Strategy Working Group. G̱id Uuwans Dana Moraes has vast experience in planning for Strategic, Economic Development, Indigenous Community and Land Use Planning and Proposal Writing. Her passion for planning/proposal writing was through the recognized need for programs that connect youth, elders, language, and community resilience. Dana's work consistently honours tradition, language, and protocol.

Mariski Nirwan is the Sr. Manager for Coastal Resilience in YKAN’s Indonesia Ocean Program in charge of climate adaptation and mitigation programs within the coastal ecosystem including mangrove ecosystem, disaster risk reduction, and vulnerability assessments. She has over 16 years of project management experience including 10 years at leadership role.

Valentina Nyame is a junior researcher at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn and a PhD student in Development Geography at the University of Bonn. Her research explores the expression of agency in climate adaptation through locally-led adaptation. Lisa Schipper is Professor of Development Geography at the University of Bonn. Her research addresses the intersection between adaptation to climate change and development, unpacking the sociocultural drivers of vulnerability, and equity in knowledge politics on climate and development.

Shane Orchard is a researcher in water resource management and spatial ecology specialising in the nexus between conservation, climate change and natural hazards. He is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the University of Canterbury and Oceania Regional Chair for the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM). He is also a member of IUCN’s Protected Areas and Climate Change Specialist Group in the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) who have collaborated with other organisations to produce this guidance.

He is a specialist in applied microbiology and coastal zone management at Valorēs. He is in charge of the supervision of several sustainable development projects relating in particular to the subjects of erosion and the impacts of climate change.

Sarala Pradhan, Project Coordinator for the SUCCESS Project, holds a Master’s in International Human Rights. Her experience spans academia, mentorship, consulting, and nonprofit development, with leadership experience in DEI and immigrant advocacy. Passionate about social equity, her current work focuses on migration, climate adaptation, and community resilience.

Paddy Pringle has worked on M&E for adaptation for 15 years, publishing extensively on this topic. He has led the development of MEL methodologies at national, sub-national and project level and supported Pacific Island governments during the UNFCCC GGA negotiations. Paddy is Senior Adaptation Expert at Climate Analytics.

Development practitioner and environmental economist with specialist skills and knowledge in natural resource economics for sustainable development and risk management (climate change adaptation and disaster risk management).

Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Porou. PhD candidate researching how climate risk assessments can be more effective and equitable for Māori communities through a collaborative socio-cultural approach. https://climaterisk.co.nz/

Dr. Chandana Siriwardana, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Built Environment, specializes in construction management, health and safety, disaster resilience, climate change adaptation, and sustainability. He is actively involved in designing and delivering courses, supervising postgraduate research, and contributing to curriculum development. Through collaborations with local and international partners, he leads interdisciplinary projects that promote innovation and practical solutions. His research, featured in high-impact journals, focuses on resilience, disaster risk management, and climate-resilient construction.

Florian Steig is a PhD researcher in Geography and the Environment at the University of Oxford. His research interests include power and domination in international climate politics, the political economy of climate politics, and the interface of digitalisation and sustainability.

Dr. Linda Anne Stevenson is Acting Director of APN and has over two decades of experience in global change research. She oversees 60+ research and capacity building projects, collaborates with UNFCCC and IPCC, and mentors early-career professionals. She co-edited a 2024 book on Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction and and led a special issue on impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in Elsevier.

The National Public Health Service works with whānau, iwi, and other organisations to create and support healthier communities. Drawing on Mātauranga Māori and data they provide health promotion, prevention, and protection at local, regional, and national levels. NPHS guides and enforces public health plans, strategies and legislation.

Dr. Marion Tétégan Simon, Research Director at VALORĒS, specializes in geosciences and the environment. With a background in soil water availability and postdoctoral research in Québec and France, she joined VALORĒS in 2014. She focuses on climate resilience, resource valorization, and sustainable development.

Dr. Marion Tétégan Simon, Research Director at VALORĒS, specializes in geosciences and the environment. With a background in soil water availability and postdoctoral research in Québec and France, she joined VALORĒS in 2014. She focuses on climate resilience, resource valorization, and sustainable development.

Dr. Jessica Thorn, a lecturer at Imperial College London and ARISE Fellow, researches climate adaptation, biodiversity, and land use change. With 17 years across 65+ countries, she’s secured £7 million in funding, influenced global policy, and supervises PhD students, postdocs, and interns in interdisciplinary environmental research.

Irfan Ullah is a climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction expert with eight years of experience in sustainable development, community empowerment, and humanitarian assistance. He has worked with multinational and international organisations, advancing locally led adaptation, youth empowerment, disaster risk reduction, and community-driven resilience solutions.

High and Intermediate School students from Auckland and Christchurch will represent the work of over 400 students globally. They are supported Geoff Wood Co-Director of the TOTCUS project. He currently teaches at Rosmini College, a career that spans 50+ years, teaching, lecturing, and project directing in New Zealand and overseas.

Qiuyan Yu is a PhD candidate in the Learning Sciences program at the University of Illinois Chicago, USA. As a scholar, they aim to apply insights from human learning to enhance knowledge and practices that support community adaptation to climate change, by translating research into policymaking and effective adaptation interventions.

Dr. Wu is current an Associate Professor and Chair of Dept. of Urban Development at University of Taipe. Dr. Wu has a Ph.D. degree in Urban and Regional Science from the Texas A&M University (2003) in the US with a specialty in disaster research.

Farema is a climate change specialist who is passionate about community-centric approaches to addressing and responding to climate change. With technical expertise in mitigation, adaptation and sustainable development, she has worked to build the resilience of governments, organisations, and community to climate change in both local and international contexts. Her work is driven by her passion for a just, equitable and sustainable future in the face of climate change.

Celeste Young has worked as a transdisciplinary researcher for nearly two decades focusing on collaborative systems-based approaches. Her project areas include climate change, diversity and inclusion and natural hazard risk. Celeste was a Contributing Author to ‘Foundations of Decision Making’ chapter in the (IPCC) Working Group II Fifth Assessment Report.

Espérance Zossou is an Associate Professor at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin Republic in West Africa. Before joining the University of Abomey-Calavi, she worked in national and international Research and Development Institutes where she gained strong experiences and skills in gender transformative approach for climate change adaptation and resilience.

David Zvipore, an expert in climate adaptation and impact measurement, has 14+ years of experience in MEAL across Africa and Asia. He integrates Indigenous knowledge, digital monitoring, and participatory research to enhance climate resilience. His expertise spans climate-smart agriculture, disaster risk management, food security, and gender-inclusive adaptation strategies.