Helping millions of people build resilience to climate hazards

Floating gardens can protect livelihoods in a flood in Nepal.
Photo credit: Practical Action

The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance

Climate adaptation must be drastically increased to address the impact of the climate crisis.

2023 was the hottest year on record, and the frequency and intensity of storms, flash floods and other climate-induced hazards continue to increase.

The potential for climate adaptation efforts to reduce the impact on climate-vulnerable communities remains largely unrealized. Inadequate investment for preparedness and risk reduction, as well as shortfalls in recovery actions, have resulted in an increase in loss and damage after each disaster.

Only by working in partnership with affected communities can long-term, sustainable resilience to floods and other climate hazards be realized.

The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance (the Alliance) is a multi-sectoral partnership, powered by the Z Zurich Foundation, focused on enhancing resilience to climate hazards in both rural and urban communities.

Formerly the Zurich Flood Resilience Alliance, we have over a decade of experience in generating evidence of communities’ current levels of climate resilience and identifying appropriate solutions.

Our partners are drawn from the humanitarian, NGO, research and private sectors. We work together to achieve our vision by implementing solutions, promoting good practice, influencing policy and facilitating systemic change.

Each Alliance program is different, informed chiefly by the needs of the communities - but all aim to realize our vision of a world where communities are resilient to climate hazards, enabling them to thrive.

Knowledge gained from each program is shared with Alliance partners and others, to promote good practice and identify opportunities to scale up successful interventions.

Learn more at the Climate Resilience Alliance portal

Enrollment of farmers from the Sharad Smallholder Farmers’ Cooperative in the IBFI in Daulatpur, Ward Number 1 of Rajapur Municipality, Bardiya District, Nepal.Photo credit: Practical Action Nepal

Our new, expanded focus on multiple hazards builds on over ten years’ experience in flood resilience.

Since 2013, the Alliance has worked with communities around the world to measure and then increase their flood resilience. We are working with our teams to apply the knowledge and approaches we have developed through this work to other climate hazards, including heatwaves and wildfires.

Protecting communities and businesses from the devastating impacts of climate change has never been more urgent. Climate change adaptation is one of the most complex challenges of our time, requiring collaboration of multiple actors and incisive actions across sectors.

Michael Szönyi

Alliance Director, Z Zurich Foundation