8th International Adaptation Futures Conference (AF2025)

The 8th International Adaptation Futures Conference (AF2025) was held from 13–16 October 2025 in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, hosted by the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha, in partnership with regional Oceania and international collaborators. As the flagship event of the World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP), Adaptation Futures serves as a leading global platform for practitioners, policymakers, researchers, and academics to exchange ideas, build collaborations, and advance innovative approaches to climate adaptation.

On October 14, Dr. Rajesh Tandon delivered a landmark talk on “Community-led Research & Climate Resilience: Emerging Lessons from DECODE,” as part of a panel discussion co-convened with Dr. Rafeah Wahi.

In his address, Dr. Tandon explored the meaning and potential of community knowledge as a critical resource for responding to the intersecting crises of climate change, inequality, and ecological degradation. He emphasised that Participatory Research is not merely a methodological approach but a transformative process for building climate resilience through diverse ecologies of knowledge.

Introducing the DECODE Project, co-led with Dr. Budd Hall, he outlined its objectives to:

1. Systematise and amplify lessons from community- and Indigenous-led research for effective climate resilience strategies;
2. Advocate for dedicated funding to strengthen community-driven knowledge initiatives; and
3. Expand networks and partnerships grounded in the principles of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR).

Through powerful field examples, Dr. Tandon illustrated how DECODE is helping communities worldwide mitigate climate impacts, restore biodiversity, revive food sovereignty, and enhance community well-being. His presentation underscored the growing recognition that equitable, community-led knowledge systems are central to reimagining and advancing global climate adaptation efforts.