UNU-CRIS Senior Research Fellow Nidhi Nagabhatla took part in a panel organised as part of RESSummit 2026, a premier national and international platform aligned with India’s Vision 2047, that focuses on advancing dialogue and action at the intersection of resilience, disaster risk reduction, sustainability, and public policy.
The panel discussion, held with national stakeholders (Planning Commission (Niti Ayog), Academic and Local Government Planners (representatives from Jammu and Kashmir) and others in India, discussed synergistic knowledge for climate resilience, health, and sustainability.
It brought together different kinds of knowledge—scientific, policy, and local/indigenous—to reinforce one another rather than remain in separate silos. It discussed how climate data on hazards, exposure, and vulnerability can be combined with social and economic information to shape systems that absorb shocks, adapt, and recover, rather than simply react to crises. At the same time, linking climate impacts such as heatwaves, flooding, air pollution, and food or water insecurity to both physical and mental health outcomes allows health systems to anticipate risks, adjust services, and protect those most at risk. Finally, when this integrated knowledge is used to design policies and interventions, it can support long-term sustainability by reducing inequalities, protecting ecosystems, and strengthening community capacities, ensuring that climate action, health protection, and sustainable development move forward together rather than in competition.