Confronting the Silent Crisis: Addressing Land Subsidence through Regional Cooperation and City Action

Organizer: Asia-Pacific Center for the Development of Disaster Management Information (APDIM)

Co-organizers: Islamic Republic of Iran, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to ESCAP, ESCAP, & UN-Habitat

When: 13:00-14:00

Where: In-person at Meeting Room H, UNCC, Bangkok and online via Teams Link

This side event aims to present and analyze case studies from champion and peer cities (e.g. Bangkok, Shanghai, Jakarta, and Cox Bazar) to identify practical, scalable solutions and emerging innovations, explore technical, social, and institutional measures that have reduced subsidence risks and improved urban resilience, identify key enablers of success, including political commitment, community participation, and effective regulatory and governance reforms and compare challenges faced by diverse urban contexts and governance systems to identify transferable lessons and good practices for other cities in the region. 

SEI Senior Research Fellow Thanapon Piman will speak at this session.

Securing Safe Water, Empowering Future Communities: Transformative Pathways for Rural Drinking Water Safety

Organizer: Changjiang Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, China

Co-organizers: Office of the National Water Resources (ONWR), Thailand; Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia Centre; China Irrigation and Drainage Development Center (Rural Drinking Water Safety Center of Ministry of Water Resources) (CIDDC·CRDW)

When: 11:45-13:00

Where: In-person at Meeting Room H, UNCC, Bangkok

This side event aims to deepen the discussion: Shift the focus from “water supply coverage” to “equity, reliability of services, and empowerment of vulnerable groups”, share innovative practices: Showcase low-cost water purification technologies, community-led water supply management models, and tools/methods for integrating gender perspectives into water management and foster regional cooperation: Create a platform connecting research institutions, policymakers, and grassroots practitioners to stimulate cross-regional knowledge exchange and collaborative action.

SEI Senior Research Fellow Thanapon Piman will speak at this session.

Feeding the future: Integrated food systems for sustainable cities and communities

Organizer: UN Food Systems Coordination Hub

Co-organizers: FAO; Milan Urban Food Policy Pact; RIKOLTO; Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

When: 09:00-10:00

Where: In-person at Meeting Room G, UNCC, Bangkok

This side event will explore how city-region approaches can connect food production, processing, logistics, consumption and waste management with urban planning and development. By strengthening links between municipalities, national governments and food systems stakeholders, the session will highlight how coordinated action can advance more inclusive, resilient and resource-efficient cities – supporting progress on SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) while generating co-benefits across food security, climate and livelihoods.

SEI Research Associate Raja Asvanon will moderate this session.