LocationsOpening Remarks by Ms Beate Trankmann at the International Forum of the 110th Anniversary of the Civil Engineering Discipline at Tongji University
November 9, 2024
UNDP Resident Representative in China, Beate Trankmann, delivered opening remarks at the International Forum of the 110th anniversary of the Civil Engineering Discipline at Tongji University in Shanghai.
President Chungsik Yoo，
尊敬的 娄永琪 副校长，
来自世界各地高校的校长、
老师、同学、校友们. 女士们、先生们，
大家下午好！
今天，我很高兴代表联合国开发计划署出席同济大学土木系科 成立110周年活动和本次国际论坛。
On behalf of the UN Development Programme, it’s a great pleasure to be here today at the International Forum of the 110th anniversary of the Civil Engineering Discipline at Tongji University.
Two days from now, the COP29 UN Climate Summit will kick off in Azerbajian, and the world will have a critical opportunity to raise ambition levels and step up commitments to advance global climate action.
This is a moment to not simply chart a greener, more sustainable course forward, and ensure that humanity can avoid the worst consequences of climate change, but also to take steps towards strengthening our collective resilience against the climate impacts that are already here.
2024 is set to be the hottest year on record, surpassing the previous record set only last year. Today, natural disasters are occurring five times as frequently as they did just fifty years ago, and with increasing severity. And damages from extreme weather are costing the world roughly $16 million USD per hour. [1]
Much of the impacts from climate change are centered on cities. Indeed, cities are already home to more than 50% of the global population and set to rise to two thirds by 2050. Cities are also often located in coastal regions, where concentrated infrastructure and residents are more vulnerable to disasters such as flooding.
However, while urban areas are often heavily impacted by climate disasters, they are also at the forefront of actions being taken to build resilience against them. As hubs of innovation and technology, cities are leading the way in pioneering new approaches to tackle climate change, and facilitate green and inclusive pathways for the future.
"This is a moment to not simply chart a greener, more sustainable course forward, and ensure that humanity can avoid the worst consequences of climate change, but also to take steps towards strengthening our collective resilience against the climate impacts that are already here."
It is precisely for this reason that UNDP launched a partnership with Tongji earlier today.
As a world leading university in civil engineering, this institution, its faculty, and students, have been making critical contributions to strengthening urban disaster resilience for over a century. From planning more efficient transportation systems, to designing durable, low-carbon structures capable of withstanding severe weather conditions, civil engineers can play an incredibly important role in creating sustainable cities.
Indeed, with three-quarters of the world’s infrastructure that will exist in 2050 yet to be built, [2] risk-informed urban planning, development and implementation will be absolutely crucial in adapting to climate change and mitigating its impacts.
That is why the expertise and knowledge present in this hall today are essential, both in China and globally, to advancing sustainable development and safeguarding our collective future.
At UNDP, we are committed to collaborating with Tongji towards this goal, and leveraging our global network and experience, to share knowledge and insights between Tongji and other institutions and countries. In particular, we look forward to establishing the SDG Innovation Lab on Disaster and Climate Resilience that will act as a platform to facilitate exchange and jointly explore solutions to address common challenges.
We hope that this lab can be a gateway through which diverse stakeholders including academia, government, international organizations, and private sector partners can gain access to new ideas, innovative concepts, and cutting-edge approaches that can be integrated into decision-making and policies.
With that, let me conclude by thanking Tongji University for the gracious invitation to speak today, and congratulating you all on the 110th anniversary of the Civil Engineering Discipline at your prestigious institution.
最后, 让我 衷心地 祝贺同济大学土木系科成立110周年！
Working together, we can make cities greener, stronger, and more resilient, and help realize a sustainable future for all. Thank you!
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