The European Investment Bank and the European Commission hosted the second edition of the “EC-EIB Adaptation Days” event on 5-6 June 2025. This event builds on the success of its inaugural edition, continuing its mission to address the pressing need for climate adaptation amidst escalating global warming impacts.
This year’s event is organized under the auspices of the UN Oceans Conference and focused on the critical theme of Coastal Resilience. The conference convened approximately 150 global experts to exchange strategies, innovative solutions, and financing opportunities for adaptation projects in coastal areas. The target audience included local public authorities of coastal cities and regions, urban planning and regional development professionals, port authorities, and climate experts in the field of adaptation and coastal resilience globally.
The Technical Masterclass on 5 June and the Conference on 6 June served as a platform to highlight key themes focused on practical approaches on applying proactive adaptation, how to integrate these measures into planning, financing, and implementation processes. The event highlighted the EIB and EC’s unwavering commitment to supporting climate adaptation through increased funding, advisory services, and fostering policy alignment.
Mayor of Kota Kinabalu representing Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM)
YBhg. Dato’ Sri Dr Haji Sabin bin Samitah, Mayor of Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) was accompanied by Mr Saiman bin Angak, Director of Engineering, Kota Kinabalu City Hall and Mr Jimon bin Jahim, Executive Director, DBKK Holdings Sdn Bhd to attend both technical masterclasses and conference from 5 to 6 June 2025. This is a solid follow through from GCoM’s Bankable Cities Technical Assistance to Kota Kinabalu (November 2023 – September 2025) focusing on the delivery of project preparation studies on:
- Advancing Coastal Infrastructure Investment project with integrated nature-based solutions and climate zoning in the waterfront area of Kota Kinabalu to safeguard the city against flooding and
- Flood Mitigation Measures to Reduce Climate Change Impacts and Erosion in Kota Kinabalu
Component 1: Comprehensive Coastal Management Plan
Component 2: Coastal Structures for Erosion Control and Sea Level Rise Adaptation. A report detailed with technical measures to enhance flood protection in coastal areas (Zone A and Zone B)
Component 3: Pilot Project Implementation: An Investment project concept to guide future coastal infrastructure development
Objectives of Kota Kinabalu City Hall attending the events:
The participation of the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu and his delegation members for this strategic event was aimed to build partnerships that overcome barriers to investments — partnerships that increase financing for projects that make our societies and economies stronger. It also provided Kota Kinabalu City Hall delegates an opportunity to network with international peers and foster international relationships for a common goal.
Key Takeaways from EC-EIB Adaptation Days
5 June Technical Site Visit. Field visit to an EIB financed project HALIOTIS Nice Eau d’Azur, attracted 40 participants. The key learnings from this site visit was to witness how an EIB financed project that involved financing investments related to the reconstruction, capacity expansion, and improvement of the environmental performance of the HALIOTIS wastewater treatment plant in Nice benefited the city and its inhabitants. This plant is operated by Eau d’Azur and the host demonstrated how it treats the majority of wastewater from the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis. Participants were also briefed in detail that 35% of the financing goes into climate adaptation measures.
6 June Conference. The Mayor of Kota Kinabalu participated in the panel discussion chaired by Ms. Lisa Burke, RTL, Today (Luxembourg) entitled “Regional perspectives on climate adaptation finance – Global Insights” which focused on diverse experiences and strategies of non-EU regions in addressing climate adaptation finance.
- The Mayor of Kota Kinabalu shared approaches on how Kota Kinabalu, a GCoM signatory since 2019, was overcoming barriers, engaging communities and vulnerable groups, as well as their plans and initiatives in implementing effective adaptation measures.
- During the interactive discussion, the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu also shared how Kota Kinabalu City Hall was integrating climate adaptation into its policy frameworks and development plans and they are currently busy conducting monitoring and evaluation of their climate actions (Kota Kinabalu Green City Action Plan 2019) from 2024 – 2030.
- He also shared that during the implementation of climate adaptation measures in Kota Kinabalu, the city faced key barriers such as illegal migration from neighbouring countries that resulted in squatter problems along their coastline. The improper waste dumping in their oceans made the ongoing ocean conservation projects difficult to be implemented effectively. He learned that he had to keep going on the ground and speaking with community groups and their leaders to resolve such problems. It was also challenging but a necessity to obtain buy-in from the illegal squatters to resolve their problems and current environmental problems, and consider relocation options. He also stressed that applying the quadruple helix engagement process (public-private sector, academia and civil society) were some key lessons learned on overcoming various challenges.
- In relation to strengthening urban resilience and infrastructure to tackle climate change, the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu shared how the city was addressing critical issues through infrastructure, development and urban planning. Some of the innovative approaches are using the Mobula-8 (marine waste collection vessel) in managing waste management and tackling the growing problem of sea garbage along the city’s waterfront.
- As for coastal erosion, building with nature is essential with adaptation, emphasizes observing and understanding how nature functions, then designing developments to fit in harmoniously. Sabah is now working hard to combine nature-based solutions (mangroves, swamps, wetlands, coral reefs, seagrasses, mudflats) with hard engineering structures to create hybrid solutions.
- He stressed that a lot of research and pre-feasibility studies is ongoing due to Kota Kinabalu receiving funding for technical assistance via Bankable Cities, City Climate Finance Gap Fund and the Climate Adaptation Fund (Malaysia Adaptation Sharing Hub) but he hopes to procure more funding and financing to implement more high impact projects and is looking forward to meeting more experts in Nice to further this objective.
Other experts in this panel were Ms. Salome Tukuafu, Strategic Partnerships and Donor Relations Adviser, Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Apia (Samoa) who shared on climate proofing initiatives in the Pacific Island Countries (including EEZ) under the 30 SPREP PROE (Sustainable, Transformative, Resilient for a Blue Pacific) and Ms. Amanda Ikert, Head of Adaptation Implementation, C40 Cities spoke about the delivery of technical assistance across
- C40’s Water Networks which focuses on the Urban Flooding Network in 38 cities and implementing Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs)
- C40’s Water Security Network in 21 cities and implementing water system efficiency improvements to reduce water supply risks.
Results and Outcomes for the Kota Kinabalu Delegation
The Mayor of Kota Kinabalu and his delegation members gained insights and knowledge on exchange strategies, innovative solutions, and financing opportunities for adaptation projects in coastal areas. They have a deeper understanding of how their international peers have applied practical approaches to proactive adaptation, the know-how in integrating these measures into planning, financing, and implementation processes in their cities and countries. During the networking throughout the conference, the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu and his delegation members also had a chance to meet experts and make new connections with local public authorities of coastal cities and regions, urban planning and regional development professionals, port authorities, and climate experts in the field of adaptation and coastal resilience globally.
The Kota Kinabalu delegation would like to express their appreciation to Global Covenant of Mayors, Mr. Pier Roberto Remitti, Co-Managing Director | Team Leader of GCoM, Ms. Jacqueline Chang, Country Coordinator |Adviser & Interlocutor of GCoM, Ms. Esther Badiola Guerra, Principal Climate Action Adviser at European Investment Bank and her colleagues for all the kind support and assistance in all the preparation leading up to the event. To Ms. Venelina Varbova, Climate Finance Expert, GCoM Global Secretariat for the on-site assistance during the Conference.
Notes:
Programme Agenda (access here)
List of Experts and Speakers (access here)
Masterclass Recording (access here)
Conference Recording (access here)
