• A joint venture between Mace, Arup and Gleeds, known as the UK Delivery Team (UKDT), will participate in the United Nations’ Blue Zone at COP26
• The UKDT will premiere a new film titled “Reconstructing hope” which showcases how the team is building climate resilience in Peru, following the damage from El Niño in 2017
• Further events at COP26 will showcase the Reconstruction of Peru project, which is a government-to government agreement signed by the UK and Peru

The UKDT has announced that it has been invited to appear in the UK Presidency Pavilion in the United Nations’ prestigious Blue Zone at the upcoming COP26 summit. The team will be using its platform to premiere a new film and report, “Reconstructing hope”, which showcases how they are actively building climate resilience in Peru through effective intergovernmental collaboration.

The UKDT’s invitation to participate in COP26 comes as a direct result of the integral role it plays in working with the Department of International Trade (DIT) and the Autoridad para la Reconstruccion con Cambios (ARCC) in Peru, following the 2017 El Niño catastrophe which affected 1.1 million people and left 178,000 homeless.

Deploying nature-based solutions, the UKDT supports the ongoing reconstruction and enhancement of infrastructure in nine regions across Peru. Collectively, the team provides project management, specialised technical assistance, procurement strategy, knowledge transfer, digital and stakeholder engagement services across a total of 118 projects. Protecting some 16 million citizens, schemes include the development of integrated flood mitigation solutions and new urban drainage systems, the reforestation and afforestation of 51,000 hectares, as well as the reconstruction of 15 healthcare facilities and 74 schools.  The ARCC is set to invest in a national, integrated Early Warning System that is unprecedented in scale, complexity, and speed of planned implementation.

Bringing together delegations from 197 parties, the Blue Zone will reflect the summit’s key themes, which include adaptation, resilience, and nature. It will bring these themes to life through a series of workshops, panel discussions and thought leadership sessions. The UKDT film will be showcased on Nature day and Adaptation Adaptation, Loss and Damage day in the UK Presidency Pavilion, on a double decker LED screen, opposite the UN Pavilion. It will also be shown as part of the exhibition’s 360 virtual reality experience, ‘A Brighter Future’, during which delegates will be able to fully immerse themselves in some of the best climate resilient projects from across the globe.

Dra. Amalia Moreno, Executive Director of ARCC, said “We feel excited and are privileged to be given the opportunity to be a part of the COP26 summit. The schools, healthcare facilities and comprehensive flooding solutions that make up the Reconstruction with Change programme are vital to the future prosperity of Peru and sustainability and climate change are at the core of everything we are doing.”

Jason Millett, CEO for Consult at Mace, said: “The reconstruction work that our teams are supporting in Peru, as the UK Delivery Team, will create vital infrastructure and help to build resilience for vulnerable communities across the country. We’re guided by bringing best-in-class sustainability and innovation in the delivery of this programme and we’re delighted to be able to share the leanings and vision in the United Nations’ Blue Zone at COP26. Climate change is the defining challenge of our generation and the reconstruction programme in Peru is a great example of how cross-country collaboration can protect global communities with climate resilient projects, now and for the future.”

Nic Merridew, Deputy Programme Director at UKDT, said: “The Peru Reconstruction Programme is about creating a sustainable and resilient future for communities across Peru. Together, the UK Delivery Team and the Peruvian and UK governments are rebuilding critical infrastructure to protect people and communities from severe climate events and in doing so will enable a more sustainable future for all”.

Stuart Senior, Board member at Gleeds and Infrastructure Exports:UK, said: “Aligning with a number of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Peru Reconstruction Programme is considered an exceptional example of how successful government-to-government agreements can help vulnerable communities prepare for the worst impacts of climate change. COP26 is the ideal platform to facilitate international dialogue, inspire action, and nurture collaboration. We want to advance the vitally important climate conversation by demonstrating action on the ground.”

In addition to the video content, the government-to-government partnership model employed on the Peru Reconstruction Programme will be discussed during an event in the Water Pavilion the summit. Key members of the delivery team, Amalia Moreno and the Peruvian Vice Minister of Agriculture will summarise the key points of the arrangement, as well as highlight the range of nature-based solutions being enacted. The project will also be showcased as part of the virtual and physical Global Cities Climate Action exhibition in the Green Zone.