The First UNCCRD Delta Summit 2025, held at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand from 17-20 March 2025, brought together over 140 global leaders, experts, and community representatives from 24 countries to accelerate action for the sustainable governance of river deltas. This first-of-a-kind landmark event, led by the DeltasUNite Initiative marks a significant step in operationalising the UN Convention for Conserving River Deltas (UNCCRD), unveiled at COP28 in Dubai. The Summit discourse will be consolidated into a White Paper to be delivered to the United Nations, outlining policy recommendations and governance mechanisms for delta conservation through the UNCCRD.
River deltas, home to over 500 million people, face escalating threats from climate change, urbanisation, and pollution. Rising sea levels, deforestation, and industrial contamination are degrading critical ecosystems and jeopardising livelihoods. Prominent deltas, including the Mekong, Niger, Indus, Nile, Chao Phraya, and Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna, are already experiencing severe impacts such as biodiversity loss, food insecurity, forced migration, and economic instability.
“Bringing together diverse voices, including grassroots perspectives, is key to shaping the UNCCRD,” stated Dr. Indrajit Pal, Summit Convener and Associate Professor at AIT. AIT President Prof. Pai-Chi Li expressed appreciation to the global community for organising such an important event and emphasised the importance of compiling state-of-the-art knowledge to promote delta sustainability and resilience. Similarly, talking about the role of the Summit, Mr. Freeman Elohor Oluowo, Lead and Focal Person of the DeltasUNite and UNCCRD initiative said, “The Summit has been instrumental in demonstrating that diverse groups can work together to co-create solutions to common issues in global deltas”.
Opening the Summit through his keynote address, H.E. Senator Douye Diri, Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Nigeria highlighted the devastating environmental and socio-economic impacts of oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta, where health and well-being has declined, and 40% of mangrove forests have been lost. “Degradation of river deltas is no longer tolerable,” said Mr. Diri, while proposing a ‘Global Delta Day’ to raise awareness and drive international action.
Similarly, Thai urban governance expert Dr. Bhichit Rattakul, President of the Thai Network for Disaster Resilience emphasised the critical role of adaptive water management and flood prevention in securing livelihood sustainability and food security in the Chao Phraya and Mekong delta regions. He urged deeper discussions on policy interventions, regional cooperation, and community engagement in delta conservation.
Global leaders also called for coordinated and collaborative action for delta resilience and sustainability during a panel discussion. H.E. Mr. Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand highlighted Bangladesh’s Delta Plan 2100, a long-term framework for climate adaptation and sustainable development and emphasised the need for international cooperation and funding to support delta resilience initiatives. Similarly, H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, CEO of the Mekong River Commission stressed the importance of regional frameworks such as the MRC to promote transboundary cooperation and collaborative governance for water security, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. Other panellists, including Hon. Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria; Dr. John Dore, Lead Specialist at DFAT Australia; Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, Executive Director of Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and Dr. Georgie Ferguson, community representative from the Pointe-Au-Chien Indian Tribe in Louisiana, USA discussed the need and pathways for building global, regional and local partnerships for collective action in river delta conservation and resilience building.
The four-day Summit featured twelve plenary keynotes, four plenary panel discussions, forty technical presentations and nine breakout sessions. Discussions focused on a wide spectrum of issues and topics related to delta sustainability, including ecosystem restoration, community resilience, sustainable development, climate change challenges, governance, and adaptation and the use of technology, data and indigenous knowledge. Representatives from government, academia, private sector, and international and community-based organisations actively engaged in the discussions, ensuring a multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, and bottom-up approach to addressing delta challenges.
With key actors and stakeholders aligned on the need for urgent intervention, the event has provided a critical roadmap for ensuring river deltas remain resilient, productive, and sustainable for generations to come. The event also emphasises AIT’s commitment to bridging Technology, Policy and Society through global partnerships and collaboration.
