EU-GCC Climate Adaptation Webinar
Building Climate Resilience in the Gulf Region
📅 8 October 2025 | ⏰ 12:00 – 13:30 (UAE Time) | 🌐 Online (Webex)
Why this webinar matters
The Gulf region is on the frontlines of climate change. From record-breaking heatwaves to devastating floods in Oman and the UAE, the impacts are no longer distant risks—they are lived realities. With all six GCC countries among the world’s most water-stressed, highly dependent on food imports, and vulnerable to sea level rise, adaptation has become an urgent strategic priority.
Yet progress is uneven: only Kuwait has submitted a National Adaptation Plan (NAP), while other GCC states are still in development. Fragmented climate science, siloed governance, and limited financing remain major hurdles.
This is where EU–GCC cooperation can make a difference. Europe has decades of experience in adaptation policy, climate science, and sustainable finance. By sharing lessons, tools, and best practices, the EU and GCC can work together to accelerate climate resilience and unlock new opportunities for joint action.
What you will gain
This high-level webinar will:
🔹 Present key findings from the EU–GCC Adaptation Study, highlighting challenges and opportunities in governance, financing, and local implementation.
🔹 Offer an EU Commission perspective on advancing adaptation policy and cooperation.
🔹 Showcase EU case studies in climate modelling, data collaboration, and sustainable finance frameworks.
🔹 Feature a multi-stakeholder panel exploring how the GCC can strengthen adaptation planning, research collaboration, and climate financing strategies.
🔹 Provide space for an interactive Q&A to engage directly with experts.
Who should attend
The event is tailored for:
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Policymakers and government authorities
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Municipal and sectoral planners
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Climate researchers and academics
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Private sector leaders and innovators
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Civil society organisations
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International organisations and EU Delegations in the GCC
Be part of the solution
Join us for this timely discussion and help shape how the EU and GCC can work together to build climate resilience. Register now to save your seat.
Agenda
Mr. Spyros Kouvelis, Team Leader, EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project
Mr. Tanzeed ‘Alam, Sustainability Director, EMEA at Parsons, Lead Author of the EU-GCC Adaptation Study
Speaker:
- Mr.Rik den Hoedt, Issue Lead on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and LDC Matters, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands
This session will explore how the GCC can advance climate adaptation through stronger national planning, enhanced research and knowledge-sharing, and innovative approaches to financing. Panelists will share perspectives on practical pathways to build resilience and identify opportunities for closer EU–GCC cooperation.
Speakers:
- Mr. Rik den Hoedt, Issue Lead on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and LDC Matters, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, The Netherlands
- Dr. Yahya Al-Hadban, Acting Director - Operations Division, Energy & Building Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)
- Ms Adeline Pilon, President, ELYX Foundation
- Mr. Tanzeed ‘Alam, Sustainability Director, EMEA at Parsons, Lead Author of the EU-GCC Adaptation Study
Moderator:
- Mr. Spyros Kouvelis, Team Leader, EU-GCC Cooperation on Green Transition Project
