Resilience Evidence Forum 2023: Synthesis report

This Synthesis Report presents the findings and insights from the Resilience Evidence Forum that took place in June 2023. The report underscores the pressing need to build upon our progress, recognise the various forms of evidence—be it scientific, local knowledge, indigenous knowledge, or conveyed through storytelling—and elevate resilience as a collective, paramount objective. It highlights the importance of scaling evidence-based solutions and identifies the vital role various stakeholders play in realising this objective. Furthermore, the report presents success stories and delves into the principles and priorities for enhancing resilience.

Some of the key messages of the Resilience Evidence Forum include:

• The evidence on sources of resilience that explain why some people and households fare better in the face of shocks than others is compelling, but is nascent and in need of validation.
• Local people and communities, especially women, youth, disabled, displaced and Indigenous peoples, are key producers of resilience evidence and need to be recognised and supported accordingly.
• Urban resilience encompasses a range of interconnected issues and interventions, among which informality, climate adaptation, rights, conflict, and displacement are crucial action areas to ensure just and equitable resilience outcomes.
• A common challenge in strengthening resilience arises when interventions tend to frame nature as separate from people, overlooking the intricate interactions between social and ecological elements.