Originally from Volano (Trento), Elisa Calliari was awarded “for having been able to translate scientific analysis on climate change into concrete managerial strategies”, embodying “a new generation of leaders capable of governing environmental risk management, bringing the experience gained in the international negotiations to the service of sustainable growth”of local territories.
Her work at CMCC focuses on the governance and politics of climate change adaptation and loss and damage at different scales, from local and national policy-making processes to climate change negotiations.. At CMCC she contributes to research that supports institutions and policymakers in designing effective responses to climate risks and strengthening resilience.
“My work looks at how to address the most severe impacts of climate change,” she said following the award, noting that “even if we reduce emissions and adapt, some impacts on ecosystems, societies and economies will remain and we need to learn how to manage them or live with them.”
“What motivates me most,” she added, “is that it is work that has an impact on people’s lives, even if that impact is not always immediately visible.”
Her work has contributed to advancing understanding of climate risk governance and adaptation strategies, as well as providing new insight on loss and damage governance through her book Governing Climate Change Loss and Damage: The National Turn, which examines how countries are developing policies to address unavoidable climate impacts at the national level.
Calliari also contributed to COP30 in Brazil where she was part of a team of researchers supporting the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Energy Security. “COP conferences are key moments, but climate negotiations never really stop. Technical groups meet regularly during the year to discuss details and prepare the work that then culminates at the conferences,” explains Calliari. “Science provides tools and data, but what is also needed is continuous dialogue with politics and society. My goal is to continue contributing to more effective climate policies, trying to increasingly connect scientific research with concrete decision-making.”
Calliari’s research and policy engagement contribute to CMCC’s broader mission of supporting evidence-based climate action and informed decision-making at national and international levels.
