Rethinking Climate Adaptation: TAMPEI at the Climate-Proof Cities Workshop
From January 24 to 26, 2025, urban planners, policymakers, and community leaders gathered at The Quarter Ladprao in Bangkok, Thailand, for the International Workshop on Climate-Proof and Inclusive Cities, Urban Planning & Architecture. Hosted and sponsored by the Urban Futures & Policy Research Unit (UFP) at the Thammasat University Faculty of Architecture and Planning—in collaboration with START International, the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (EPIC-N), the Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR), the Nanyang Technological University, and the Community Organization Development Institute (CODI)—the event served as a critical platform for exchanging ideas on urban resilience in the face of climate challenges.
Representing TAMPEI (Technical Assistance Movement for People and Environment, Inc.), Ar./EnP. Louie Posadas joined an international panel of experts to share ongoing ground experiences from Project RURBANISE.
Amplifying On-the-Ground Community Experiences
During the panel sessions, Louie Posadas highlighted how Project RURBANISE applies grassroots, community-based approaches to climate adaptation. In rapidly urbanizing and vulnerable areas, resilience cannot be designed top-down; it must be built alongside the communities who navigate climate risks daily.
Joining Louie on stage was fellow panelist Dr. Emma Porio—Principal Investigator of the IDRC-funded Coastal Cities At Risk in the Philippines (CCARPH) project and Professor at Ateneo de Manila University—whose discussion underscored inclusive climate adaptation and low-carbon urban development.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of specialists across the globe, including:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wijitbusaba Marome (Thammasat University)
Dr. Jon Padgham (START International)
Somsook Boonyabancha (Asian Coalition for Housing Rights)
Prof. Dr. Jeffrey Hou (NUS, Singapore)
Dr. Nuwong Chollacoop (Thailand)
Mr. Khondaker Hasibul Kabin (BRAC)
Prof. Dr. Joel Rogers (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Asst. Prof. Dr. Perrine Hamel (Nanyang Technological University)
Dr. Wolfgang Scholz (TU Durtmond University).
Rethinking Knowledge Dissemination
While conventional academic journals remain vital for documenting research, one of the most compelling insights from the workshop emerged during formal and informal exchanges among participating experts.
The participants recognized how knowledge dissemination can be implemented through creative avenues, such as:
Interactive Exhibits – Translating spatial and climate data into accessible visual formats that local neighborhood associations and youth groups can easily engage with.
Artworks – Utilizing localized art installations, community mapping displays, and creative media to make climate risks tangible and catalyze local policy action.
Strengthening Alliances for Climate Resilience
Engaging with global practitioners and researchers across Asia and beyond highlighted our shared challenges and the wealth of insights rooted in community experiences. For Project RURBANISE, these exchanges affirm the strength of grassroots approaches while opening doors for deeper collaboration. Armed with fresh perspectives on creative dissemination and inclusive urban planning, TAMPEI remains committed to making climate adaptation grounded, participatory, and accessible to all.
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Through long-term commitments and partnerships worldwide, and needs-driven, action-focused research, CLARE links up short-and long-term issues, enabling long-term, sustainable, and fair economic and social development in a changing climate whilst supporting early action to reduce impacts of climate variability whilst providing a better understanding of the risks associated with climate.
References:
Ateneo de Manila. (24 January 2025). Ateneo’s Prof. Emma Porio speaks at an international workshop on climate-proof and inclusive cities and urban planning and architecture. Retrieved from https://www.ateneo.edu/news/2025/01/24/ateneos-prof-emma-porio-speaks-international-workshop-climate-proof-inclusive.
National Energy Technology Center. (24 January 2025). ENTEC, NSTDA participated in workshop on the Climate-Proof and Inclusive City,Urban Planning & Architecture. Retrieved from https://www.entec.or.th/news-entec-2025-01-24-entec-nstda-participated-in-workshop-on-the-climate-proof-and-inclusive-city/.
About the Author
Janina Salubo is a Knowledge Management and Development Communications Volunteer for the RURBANISE project, specializing in translating complex resilience research into accessible insights for funders and grassroots communities.