Global Center on Adaptation

The Resilience Endgame: Scaling Up Adaptation for a Sustainable Future

Inaugural Lecture by Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, Ban Ki-moon Chair on Climate Adaptation and Governance at the University of Groningen

Rotterdam, Feb. 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What: Inaugural lecture by Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen, Ban Ki-moon Chair on Climate Adaptation and Governance at the University of Groningen, Chancellor of the University of Nairobi and President and CEO at the Global Center on Adaptation
When: 16:15-17:00 on Friday 14^th February 2025 followed by drinks reception
Where: Aula Academy Building, Broerstraat5, Groningen
RSVP: To attend please register here.
Livestream: Livestream will be available at www.rug.nl/digitale-oratie

Amid Global Fragmentation, a New Economic Strategy Emerges
As multilateralism faces unprecedented challenges—from renewed geopolitical divisions to the retreat of international climate commitments—the world is at a crossroads. Against this backdrop, Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen will present The Resilience Endgame, arguing that scaling up climate adaptation is not only a necessity but a defining economic strategy of the 21st century.
With Donald Trump’s return to the political stage casting uncertainty over global climate finance and major economies struggling with post-pandemic instability, how can nations future-proof their economies? Professor Verkooijen will make the case that adaptation is not a cost but an investment—one that can drive job creation, economic resilience, and global stability in a rapidly changing world.

Key Themes

• Beyond Paris: Is Global Climate Cooperation Dead? – What does the shifting political landscape mean for climate finance and adaptation investment?
• The End of Business as Usual – Why companies and financial institutions must embrace adaptation as a profitable and urgent strategy.
• The Geopolitics of Adaptation – How adaptation is becoming a key factor in economic competitiveness and national security.

Drawing on real-world data, major financial trends, and emerging policy shifts, Professor Verkooijen will present a compelling vision of adaptation as a catalyst for economic transformation.

Interview Opportunities
Professor Verkooijen is available for interviews on:

• The shifting global climate finance landscape post-Trump
• The role of the private sector in closing the $359 billion annual adaptation financing gap
• Why adaptation is the missing piece in today’s economic growth strategies
• What policymakers must do now to ensure global stability

To request an interview with Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen please contact:
Alex Gee,  Head of Communications
Alex.gee@gca.org