Christchurch is set to host a major global climate adaptation event, with the Adaptation Futures Conference 2025 (AF2025) bringing together international scientists, scholars, industry leaders, investors, and policymakers this October.
This will be the first time New Zealand has hosted the United Nations’ largest climate adaptation event, which is the flagship conference of the UN’s World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP). The event, running from 13 to 16 October at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, will focus on accelerating international efforts to address climate change, with a particular emphasis on the challenges facing Pacific nations and Indigenous communities.
Hosted by the University of Canterbury and supported by both New Zealand and international institutions involved with the WASP consortium, the conference will offer a hybrid format, with opportunities for both in-person and online participation.
University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor Professor Cheryl de la Rey said the university was proud to lead such a significant event. “As a university, we are committed to engagement and working closely with our communities and our city to create sustainable solutions for generations to come,” she said.
The conference will also highlight Indigenous innovation and leadership in climate adaptation. Ngāi Tahu leader and event co-patron Lisa Tumahai said it was important to have Indigenous voices included in shaping climate policy. “Ngāi Tahu has a role as kaitiaki – a guardian of our environment,” she said. “Our people have been adapting for generations, and our leadership in climate adaptation is a continuation of that history. It is important that Indigenous peoples are part of decision-making and are influencing policy on adaptation now and in the future.”
AF2025 is being co-convened by University of Canterbury experts Professor Bronwyn Hayward, Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva, and Professor Shaun Ogilvie.
Sustainability expert and University of Canterbury (UC) Professor Bronwyn Hayward MNZM
Professor Hayward said the conference would tackle the growing challenges faced by cities as the global population continues to urbanise. “We know that by the middle of this century, more than 70 per cent of our world’s population will be living in cities,” she said. “Adaptation Futures 2025 is an opportunity to think about climate-resilient development and the needs of our diverse urban and rural populations—whether that’s food security, water infrastructure, or ocean protection.”
Distinguished Professor Ratuva, who serves as Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific at the University of Canterbury, said the conference would also shine a light on climate hotspots and vulnerable communities around the world. “The focus will include regions such as the Pacific Islands, parts of Africa, Central Asia, and the Arctic, which are all experiencing disproportionate impacts from climate change,” he said.
Steven Ratuva Pro-Vice Chancellor, Pacific as well as Distinguished Professor and Director of the Macmillan Brown Center for Pacific Studies.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger welcomed the announcement, saying the city’s own history of resilience makes it an ideal location for the event. “We understand adaptation like no other city in New Zealand. Our experience with the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes taught us we can adapt to unexpected things,” he said. “These lessons can be used for climate change going into the future.”
The conference is expected to attract more than 1,200 delegates both in-person and online. In addition to research presentations, participants will have the opportunity to engage in arts events, living labs, and field days across the city, fostering collaboration, networking, and knowledge-sharing among attendees and the local community.
The World Bank’s Adaptation Fund is the foundation sponsor of AF2025.
Submissions for session proposals and abstracts remain open until 1 March 2025, with registration now available through the official event website.
