Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: A Challenge for Global Ports

This guidance document explains that given the strategic role of ports as part of the globalized trading system, adapting ports in different parts of the world to the impacts of climate change and building their resilience, is an urgent imperative. A good understanding of the relevant risks and vulnerabilities based on accurate information, including climate and socio-economic data at the local level, is a pre-requisite for informed decision making and well-designed and effective adaptation response measures that enhance the robustness of systems, structures and processes and minimize the adverse effects of climatic factors. In this context, cooperation among a wide range of public and private sector stakeholders at the local, national, regional and international level is required. To help advance the important debate on how best to move forward UNCTAD convened the Ad Hoc Expert Meeting on “Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation: A Challenge for Global Ports”, providing a platform for considered discussion of relevant issues.