The Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies, in partnership with the College of William & Mary Whole of Government Center of Excellence, conducted the first Environmental Resilience and Preparedness International Dialog in Washington, DC from 10–12 September 2024.

^{NESA Center Director Ambassador John Desrocher (middle) and Associate Dean Charles Marks (right) during the welcome remarks on the first day.}

Twenty-one participants from thirteen countries participated in a unique program that brought together strategic planners, policy experts, national security professionals, infrastructure experts, emergency first responders, scientists, and educators to explore the complexities of preparing for climate change, global warming, and the impacts of natural disasters.

^{A group exercise with Dr. Kathryn Floyd (Director, Whole of Government Center of Excellence, William & Mary) during the Environmental Resilience and Preparedness International Dialog.}

The program was made possible by the Defense Operational Resilience International Cooperation (DORIC) program administered by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. The NESA Center and William & Mary are exploring a follow-on program in the summer of 2025 in Tampa, Florida, with coalition partners assigned to Central Command and Special Operations Command.

^{Dr. Molly Mitchell (Assistant Professor, Center for Coastal Resources Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary) during the third session.}

The views presented in this article are those of the speaker or author and do not necessarily represent the views of DoD or its components.