Mar 31, 2026
RESSummit 2026 Brings Global Leaders Together to Advance Climate Resilience and Sustainabilityainability
ICARS/IIT Roorkee hosts RESSUMMIT 2026, advancing global dialogue on resilience, sustainability, and public policy
The second edition of the Resilience and Sustainability Summit, RESSummit 2026, brought together leading stakeholders from politics, academia and business to address the growing challenges of climate change, disaster risk and sustainable development. In line with India's Vision 2047, the summit is increasingly emerging as a major international platform for dialogue and concrete action at the intersection of resilience, sustainability and public policy.
Among theinvited participants was Dr. André Linder, Executive Manager for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and International Affairs Advisor at TUD Dresden University of Technology (TUD). As a representative of the Global Water and Climate Adaptation Centre (ABCD-Centre), Dr. Linder participated in several high-level meetings together with institutions such as the India Department of Science and Technology, GIZ India, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the National Disaster Management Authority.
Strengthening global partnerships
The RESSummit 2026 officially welcomed the ABCD Center as a Key Partner, underlining the existing collaborations between TU Dresden and Indian institutions. Particularly noteworthy are the partnerships like those with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (e.g. in the Heritage-Network), including the Integrated Centre for Adaptation to Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainability (ICARS) at the Greater Noida Campus. This collaboration illustrates the increasing international networking in the field of climate adaptation and resilience research. The integration of the Centre for International Postgraduate Studies of Environmental Management (CIPSEM) also strengthens the exchange of knowledge and capacity building.
Kick-off event at ICARS/IIT Roorkee
The summit began with an inaugural session at ICARS, Greater Noida Campus of IIT Roorkee, where Dr. Linder gave key inputs on climate resilience and sustainable infrastructure. The session brought together experts and decision makers to discuss integrated approaches to disaster risk reduction and long-term sustainability.
Parisamvad: Platform for pioneering dialog
On the second day, Dr. Linder took part in the Parisamvad (Colloquy) - a key dialogue format that facilitates in-depth discussions on climate action, sustainability and resilience. The platform brought together leading figures from politics, practice and research to share perspectives on current challenges, innovative solutions and collaborative strategies.
Watch the Parisamvad panel session
Dr. André Linder's contributions can be seen in several sections of the session (6:15-9:15; 14:30-17:15; 20:30-23:00; 25:30-27:00). He shares his perspectives on international cooperation, climate adaptation strategies and the role of academic institutions in shaping resilient futures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-0Eu7gmGAY
International exchange with CIPSEM Alumnus
Among the distinguished speakers at RESSummit 2026 was Dr. Afroz Ahmad, one of the most prominent and influential figures in the field of environmental policy and environmental justice in India. Dr. Ahmad is an alumnus of TUD's international CIPSEM postgraduate program in environmental management (supported by UNEP/UNESCO/BMUKN). He completed the then ten-month environmental management course in the late 1980s. After an impressive international career and activities within the Indian government, he has been one of six expert members of the National Green Tribunal, India's highest environmental court, since 2022.
His keynote address, the central highlight of the day’s program attended by representatives from Indian government institutions and academia, focused extensively on the lasting influence of his time in Dresden. He emphasized how formative his training at CIPSEM - with repeated emphasis on the Institute of Hydrobiology - was for his professional career and continues to have a significant influence on his work in the field of environmental governance to this day.
The RESSummit 2026 underlines the importance of international collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches to tackling complex global challenges. With the continued commitment of institutions such as TU Dresden and its partners, the Summit is making an important contribution to a more sustainable, adaptive and resilient future.