Dutch Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management), the initiating Commissioner, shared the news as part of an event giving the go-ahead to the construction of a floating office in the Rotterdam Rijnhaven. She noted that the Commission will be co-hosted by the Global Center on Adaptation in the Netherlands, which is headquartered in Rotterdam and Groningen.

‘For the Netherlands, looking for solutions to water issues is part of everyday life. This is not yet the case in other areas and countries that are also increasingly faced with extreme weather,’ the Minister stated. ‘Climate change is making itself felt almost on a daily basis. Take, for example, the prolonged drought that is currently affecting large parts of Europe. By launching this Commission, we aim to press the need for worldwide climate adaptation. I am honoured that Ban Ki-moon, Bill Gates, and Kristalina Georgieva will oversee this important commission.’

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, “Today’s announcements by the Government of the Netherlands is a critical step forward to set in motion more vigorous attention to and action around climate adaptation. I congratulate Minister van Nieuwenhuizen for her role as an initiator of the Global Commission on Adaptation and look forward to collaborating with her and other global leaders as we embark on our worldwide mission to accelerate adaptation.”

Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen will represent the Netherlands as commissioner, alongside other global leaders. The Commission will be formally launched on October 16 in the Hague, at which time the names of other Commissioners and convening countries will be announced.

Last year, Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen announced that the Global Center on Adaptation will set up shop in Groningen and Rotterdam. The international organization, previously known as the Global Center on Excellence in Climate Adaptation (GCECA), is undergoing a transformation of its mission and Patrick Verkooijen has been appointed as the new CEO.