Latest from the Water for Climate Pavilion

The UN Climate Conference (COP29) wrapped last week leaving some delegates bitterly disappointed over the final outcomes and others relieved that the talks didn’t collapse entirely. The conference, fittingly held in Baku’s Olympic Stadium, was a titanic clash of interests between developed and developing countries. Negotiations dragged into overtime as delegates struggled to reach consensus on key issues like climate finance and fossil fuels.

The 2026 United Nations Water Conference is already drawing high expectations as water experts convened at the COP29 Water for Climate Pavilion for an informal consultation in preparation for the event.

On Food, Water, and Agriculture Day at COP29, the spotlight at the Water for Climate Pavilion was on “Locally Led Adaptation and Systems Strengthening,” a theme that underscored the urgent need to shift climate action from high-level discussions to community-driven solutions.

Negotiations have stalled at the COP29 climate talks in Baku, as countries grapple over how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So far, proposals to phase out coal, curb deforestation, and set concrete methane targets have met fierce resistance, threatening progress on mitigation—the cornerstone of efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius.

We spoke with Michael Kakande, founder of Resilient40, about the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations, the demands from the Global South, and the role the water sector should play in the finance discussions.

José Gesti, Water for Climate Pavilion Envoy on the Global Goal on Adaptation and Senior Climate Advisor at Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) shared insights on the discussions at COP29 and outlined what lies ahead in advancing these critical adaptation efforts.

At COP29 Water for Climate Pavilion, climate experts urged countries to make water a central focus of their national climate plans. They warn that without prioritizing water in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), efforts to address climate change and build resilience could fall short.

On day three of COP29, the Water for Climate Pavilion tackled the issue of urban water resilience - how to design it, how to fund it, and how to make sure it's just and inclusive for all. Here are four key takeaways from the conversation.

It was standing room only at the Water for Climate Pavilion opening, as high-ranking officials and climate activists called for greater inclusion of water in climate policies and financing mechanisms at COP29.

As world leaders gather this week at the UN Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku, the question is whether countries can strengthen their commitments and act urgently enough to address the climate crisis.

As COP29 opens in Baku, Azerbaijan next week (Nov 11-22), the stakes are at an all-time high. This UN climate conference, a critical checkpoint in the global fight against climate change, will draw over 40,000 participants—from heads of state to activists—to strategize on the policies and funding commitments needed to address accelerating climate threats.

Please find the schedule and its thematic groups below. Details are available in our Schedule page.

Rewatch our offical side event at SB60 for this official side-event!

The Third High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development" 2018 – 2028, will be held on 10-13 June 2024, will be a platform for consolidating the achievements from the UN 2023 Water Conference, the COP28 Water Agenda and other global events to keep water at the heart of climate action.

This report proposes a new OECD territorial climate indicator framework and demonstrates that the potential to mitigate, adapt to climate impacts and address vulnerabilities varies across different territories.

Earlier this week, AGWA launched the report "Managing Water for Economic Resilience: De-Risking Is Not Enough", a critical analysis of how to correct deep contradictions in how we manage our economies and financial systems for resilience even as we face increasing uncertainty.

After the successful initiation of the 2023 report UN DESA and UNFCCC will make the 2024 edition of the Global Report on Climate and SDG Synergies available soon.

After many consultations and efforts to consolidate input, the water community's official submission to the UNFCCC UAE Belem Work Programme is now posted on the UNFCCC portal.

With the recent announcements and action for the GGA and adaptation and resilience in general, it is important to not only keep in mind the essential role of common platforms but also common definitions. In their March 2024 Newsletter, AGWA highlighted the need for confidence in adaptation and resilience, and the gap between stated definitions for adaptation and/or resilience and their actual measurement.

At COP28, Parties adopted the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience or Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), as part of the UAE Consensus, including a range of thematic and dimensional targets for climate adaptation and resilience, with importantly four targets relating to water and sanitation.