The macroeconomic case for investing in climate adaptation

Date:: 11 June 2026, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Uganda.

Join us for the launch of the report, The macroeconomic case for investing in climate adaptation, that provides a ground-breaking synthesis of nearly 300 studies and more than 6,000 estimates of the economic and fiscal consequences of climate change and returns to adaptation investment. The report includes case studies from leading countries such as Brazil, UK, Rwanda, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Kenya.

In this event, the speakers will discuss how the macroeconomic and fiscal consequences of climate impacts are already significant, growing, and likely to continue intensifying without further efforts to adapt and increase resilience. They will show evidence that early and strategic adaptation investments can bolster economic stability, reduce debt levels and borrowing costs, and accelerate development.

Building on these findings, the speakers will present a strong case for the opportunities Ministries of Finance and economic decision-makers have to drive adaptation and resilience based on the positive returns from early action and investment. This event will underline the urgent need for economic decision-makers to invest in building analytical capabilities to assess physical climate risks and opportunities, the need for the funding community to support proactive adaptation, and the opportunities for research to address gaps in assessment of economic risks.

The event will open with introductory remarks from Lord Professor Nicholas Stern and Matia Kasija, the Minister of Finance of Uganda, on the economic case for adaptation, followed by a presentation by two of authors on the main findings of the report. This will be complemented by an intervention from the Ministry of Finance of Brazil on incentivising adaptation investment. The event will finish with concluding remarks from Dr. Sam Mugume and the Croatian Ministry of Finance on the role of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action in driving adaptation action.

Meet the speakers

Nicholas Stern is IG Patel Chair of Economics and Government, Chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, and the inaugural Chair of the Global School of Sustainability at LSE. Nick led the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change and previously served as head of the UK’s Government Economic Service, Second Permanent Secretary to Her Majesty’s Treasury, and Director of the UK Prime Minister’s Commission for Africa.

Matia Kasija is the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Uganda. He is the Co-Chair of the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action. Before this he served as the State Minister for Finance (Planning) in the Cabinet of Uganda for four years. He is also the elected Member of Parliament for “Buyanja County”, Kibaale District.

James Rising is a researcher at the School of Marine Science & Policy at the University of Delaware. Dr. Rising studies the economics of the environment with an emphasis on risks from climate change and interdisciplinary modelling for policy analysis.

Swenja Surminski is a Professor in Practice at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. Swenja is a leading international expert on climate change, risk finance, adaptation and disaster resilience. Swenja also serves as Managing Director Climate and Sustainability at Marsh McLennan (MMC), the world’s leading professional services firm in the area of risk, people and strategy.

Sam Mugume Koojo is the Deputy to the Ugandan Co-chair of the Coalition for Finance Ministers for Climate Action and is an Associate Commissioner of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development of Uganda. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from Makerere University.

Other speakers are yet to be confirmed.