Event: Regional partnerships for Nature and Climate

Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Asia Centre will host a virtual event 3 October on the role of nature-based solutions in Southeast and South Asia to address the poly-crisis of biodiversity, climate and land degradation.

The event aims to bring together scientists, practitioners, think tanks and experts in the fields of climate, biodiversity and sustainable development to explore emerging climate and biodiversity challenges and solutions. The roundtable will feature insights from top researchers and policymakers from SEI and partner organizations.

The event will include three segments: an overview of the current situation, a deep dive into the significance of wetlands, and an interactive discussion with the speakers.

Date, time and registration

3 October 2024, 15:00-16:30 ICT Time. Virtual event.

To register for the event, please visit Register now. For more information, please contact Rajesh Daniel.

Agenda and participants

The event will be moderated by Maya Rebermark, Senior Expert in Climate Communications and Impact at SEI. Her work focuses on leveraging scientific knowledge and communication within SEI’s mandate to catalyze systemic change, engage key partners, and empower colleagues and partners in tackling environmental challenges.

Segment 1: Overview – Water and Climate Solutions in Southeast Asia

Francis X. Johnson, Senior Research Fellow, SEI Asia
Francis X. Johnson has more than thirty years of experience in socio-economic and environmental analysis related to sustainable energy transitions, climate policy, land/biomass use, and bioeconomy pathways. He served as a Lead Author for the IPCC AR6 Special Report on Climate Change and Land (August 2019) and was a member of the writing team for the IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report (March 2023). 

Edwin Seah, Head of Secretariat, Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition
Edwin Seah is Head of Secretariat and NbS Partnerships Lead for the Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions (SCeNe) Coalition, coordinating its workstreams and working closely with the Steering Committee. Edwin holds an economics degree from the University of Massachusetts, and has served in various roles in government, industry bodies and non-government organizations in policy development and advocacy, sustainability, and strategic communications.

Segment 2: Deep Dive – The Role of Wetlands in Ecosystem Restoration

Ridhi Saluja, Research Fellow, SEI Asia
Ridhi Saluja specializes in wetlands conservation and management. Her research has led her to design integrated management and adaptation planning frameworks for wetland ecosystems using remote sensing and GIS, as well as climate science. 

Srijana Joshi, Ecosystem Specialist, ICIMOD
Srijana Joshi is an Ecosystem Specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), focusing on Restoring and Regenerating Landscapes. She has over 15 years of experience, with a special focus on the practical applications of research in rangeland degradation, invasive species and biodiversity conservation. She holds a PhD in evolutionary ecology of invasive plants from the University of Tübingen, Germany, and a master’s degree in plant ecology from Tribhuvan University, Nepal.

Segment 3: Interactive Discussion

Following the presentations, the event will feature an open discussion with the speakers to explore practical applications of these insights for policymaking and regional development. Audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in dialogue on the role of nature-based solutions in Southeast and South Asia.

Wrap-up and conclusions

The event will conclude with a synthesis of key takeaways and next steps for policy engagement and research collaboration.

This webinar is part of a SEI series on climate and biodiversity. More information about this webinar series can be found here.

For further information, please contact:

Ulrika Lamberth, Senior Press Officer, SEI, ulrika.lamberth@sei.org, +46 73 801 70 53

Rajesh Daniel, Head of Communications, SEI Asia rajesh.daniel@sei.org

Variya Plungwatana, Communications Assistant, SEI Asia, variya.plungwatana@sei.org

Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles environment and sustainable development challenges. SEI Asia, based in Bangkok, Thailand, plays a crucial role in the region by conducting research, building capacity, and facilitating policy dialogue on climate change, energy, and sustainable development.