Climate Resilience for Decision Makers

Description:

With climate change reshaping our world, the need has never been greater for skilled leaders who can guide organizations through complex environmental and economic transitions. This workshop equips professionals in government, business, and nonprofits with the strategic skills needed to address climate challenges effectively. It bridges cutting-edge climate science with practical tools required to adapt and thrive amid rapid environmental change.

This foundational 15-hour interactive workshop delivers practical, applied climate essentials for leaders. Participants explore the science of climate change through the lens of transition challenges to a low-carbon economy, emerging sustainability innovations, and methods to integrate adaptation into strategic planning. Through real-world case studies and exercises, leaders learn to identify operational and financial opportunities - transforming climate-related disruptions into competitive advantages in supply chains, infrastructure, and policy. 

This workshop also introduces critical understanding of hazards and disaster risk through the lens of resilience.  Participants will examine how intensifying events-from compound extremes and feedback loops to tipping points and cascading impacts-can disrupt systems and accelerate change.  These insights will empower leaders to assess exposures and strengthen preparedness while aligning actions with long-term adaptation and mitigation goals.

Learning objectives/themes:

• Climate Science Fundamentals for Leaders.  Leverage core principles of climate change, including observed trends in temperature, sea level rise, extreme weather, and greenhouse gas dynamics, to inform leadership decisions on emerging patterns and projections.
• Compound Events, Tipping Points, and Cascading Impacts.  Build expertise in rapid changes exceeding model projections, potential tipping elements, compound extremes, and global impacts like migration and economic disruptions, equipping leaders to anticipate interconnected threats.
• Solutions: Mitigation, Adaptation, and Innovation. Examine accelerated strategies in renewables, EVs, adaptation mainstreaming, and resilience investments, applying them to real-world scenarios for turning climate disruptions into opportunities for leadership and stability.
• Hazards, Vulnerabilities, and Feedback Mechanisms. Analyze physical and transition risks using the hazard-exposure-vulnerability framework, explore feedback loops and extremes and identify lessons from real-world events to identify organizational vulnerabilities and opportunities.

Who this workshop is intended for:

This workshop suits emerging and mid- to senior-level professionals seeking a concise introduction to climate science for informed decision making and strategic leadership. It is designed for those seeking to understand and lead organizational climate resilience efforts within their industries and organizations. No prior specialized knowledge is expected. 

Learning modalities:

This workshop will be offered in a live virtual format via Zoom, incorporating a blend of lectures, case studies, and interactive discussions. Course delivery is synchronous to facilitate peer interaction and networking. Please note that all courses are taught in English. Proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

Schedule:

VIRTUAL, Tuesdays, September 29 - November 10, 2026. Session 1 will be 2 hours in length. All other sessions will run for 2 hours and 10 minutes. 

Session 1: September 29, 5:30-7:30 pm ET

Session 2: October 6, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Session 3: October 13, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Session 4: October 20, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Session 5: October 27, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Session 6: November 3, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Session 7: November 10, 5:30-7:40 pm ET

Instructor Bio:

Radley Horton is a Professor at Columbia University’s Climate School. His research focuses on climate extremes, tail risks, climate impacts, and adaptation. Radley advises cities, businesses, and NGOs around the world about climate risks and resilient solutions. He was a Convening Lead Author for the Third National Climate Assessment, and is the Principal Investigator for the NOAA-Climate Adaptation Partnerships-funded Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast. He is also the Columbia University lead for the NSF Funded Megalopolitan Coastal Transformation Hub (MACH). Radley has served on numerous national and international task forces and committees, including the Climate Scenarios Task Force in support of the 2018 National Climate Assessment, and he often appears on national and international television, radio, and in print. Radley also teaches graduate courses on climate risk assessment and climate applications.