The four atoll nations—namely Kiribati, Maldives, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu—faced existential climate adaptation challenges. Rising extreme sea levels accelerated coastal flooding, erosion, and ecosystem degradation, threatening the very foundations of these island communities.

Projections indicated that sea levels could rise by almost one meter by 2100, exacerbating these impacts and placing critical infrastructure and livelihoods at severe risk. Infrastructure in these nations was often ill-equipped to withstand extreme events due to financial constraints and limited technical capacity. Vital assets such as telecommunications, power, roads, airports, and ports—essential for emergency response and supply chains—were particularly vulnerable.

To address these urgent challenges, the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have partnered through their critical infrastructure resilience initiatives and the Triple A (Accelerating Atoll Adaptation) initiative to foster dialogue, knowledge exchange, and investment in resilient infrastructure.

The Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Dialogue Series: Building Resilience of Infrastructure in Atoll Nations focused on practical, cross-sectoral solutions in transport, energy, water, and telecommunications. The series aimed to strengthen collaboration and share best practices to enhance infrastructure resilience against climate-related hazards and other threats.

By bringing together global expertise and regional insights, CDRI and ADB aimed to catalyze action that empowered atoll communities to adapt, thrive, and build a more secure future.

The first dialogue in the series focused on the theme Strengthening Infrastructure Resilience to Climate Risks in Atoll Nations.

This collaborative platform aimed to: 

• Foster dialogue among policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders on infrastructure resilience;

• Promote knowledge exchange on best practices and scalable solutions across sectors such as transport, energy, water, and telecommunications;

• Mobilize investment in resilient infrastructure tailored to the needs of atoll nations; and

• Support long-term resilience to safeguard livelihoods and ensure sustainable growth.