On 29th May, 2025, our team at Rescue Mission International (ReMI) met with Noam Unger, the director of the Sustainable Development and Resilience Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and a senior fellow with the Project on Prosperity and Development, and Madeleine McLean, a program manager and research associate for the same initiative. The conversation explored the intersections between community-led climate action and global efforts to build resilience through anticipatory financing and disaster risk reduction.
CSIS is one of the leading think tanks in the world, known for its work shaping international policy on security, development, and resilience. Through its SDRI, CSIS is exploring how anticipatory action, pre-arranged financing, and insurance-based mechanisms can help vulnerable communities better withstand and recover from climate-related disasters. Their work highlights the need to move from reactive aid to proactive preparation, particularly in regions that are already feeling the brunt of climate impacts.
At ReMI, our work has always focused on bridging global goals with local realities. During the meeting, we shared some of our ongoing initiatives including our Alternative Livelihood Support Programme for rural women, our “Climate Education in Rural Africa” campaign, and our work with Indigenous communities to safeguard and apply traditional knowledge in climate adaptation efforts.
These efforts are rooted in the understanding that communities on the frontlines of climate change are not just vulnerable they are also essential sources of insight, innovation, and leadership. As such, we were particularly encouraged by CSIS’s interest in grounding global policy conversations in the lived experiences of those most affected. We’re encouraged by CSIS’s commitment to bridging policy, innovation, and frontline realities through research and we look forward to continuing the dialogue on how local and global actors can collaborate to prepare for and respond to climate risks more effectively.
Together, building a future where early action is possible, and resilience is not a privilege, but a right.
