Advancements for water for climate action at COP29

Endorsed by over 50 countries and a range of non-state actors, the declaration text welcomes and recognizes the importance of efforts to address water-related climate challenges and ecosystem degradation. It mentions, as an example, the efforts within the Water for Climate Pavilion. 

Speaking for SIWI at the launch event in Baku, international policy advisor Dani Gaillard-Picher said: 

“We invite everyone, UN Member States and institutions and non-state actors alike, to contribute to this effort by joining the collective action that is the Water for Climate Pavilion collective. We also propose that the World Water Week may be a moment to convene and align on this collective action on the road to COP30 in Belém and beyond. Water is a necessary part of the climate solution.” 

The collective action of the Water for Climate Pavilion 

Water has been rising on the climate agenda in recent years. It has been increasingly mentioned in key policy outcomes at COP27 and COP28, such as the Global Stocktake and the Global Goal on Adaptation. And at COP29, again, an entire conference day was dedicated to Food, Water, and Agriculture by the Presidency. 

These developments can be largely attributed to increased and continuous cooperation within the water community, most clearly manifested in the Water for Climate Pavilion. 

“Water is everything with climate, so it is promising that water’s important role continues to be increasingly understood and referenced in the climate debate. We are in dire need of stronger political will to address water and climate action. The Water for Climate Pavilion highlights this and will continue to make clear that water is a make-or-break factor in impactful climate action,” says Thomas Rebermark, Director of Swedish Water House at SIWI. 

At COP29, SIWI once again co-hosted the Water for Climate Pavilion, this year with over 70 partner organizations. This is a doubling of the number of partners compared to when the initiative started at COP26 in 2021. 

The Pavilion’s inauguration was attended by the President of Tajikistan and it marked the first public appearance of the new UN Special Envoy on Water and Sanitation. Attending the event were also the Climate Envoys of The Netherlands and Sweden, and high-level representatives from the UAE, Slovenia, Germany, the EU and the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. This demonstrated a high level of political interest, priority and support for the interlinkages between water and climate. 

Through the efforts of its ten working groups and hundreds of speakers, the Pavilion offered more than 40 events over ten days. And the work continues. The working groups, based on key thematic areas that are recurringly addressed at COPs, will continue to collaborate towards COP30 in Brazil and beyond. 

Increased engagement across sectors and stakeholders 

Another notable development since the Water for Climate Pavilion made its first appearance three years ago, is the growing number of partners who do not necessarily have water as their primary focus. 

“The broadening of the partner base, beyond the water sector, helps gain champions for water in new spheres, thereby increasing the impact and collective action driven by this collective, manifested through the Pavilion,” says Thomas. 

Additionally, while the Water for Climate Pavilion is the epicentre of water at COP, water-related events appeared in numerous other pavilions and spaces. There were, in fact, at least twice as many water events elsewhere, which is a testament to the growing cross-sectorial interest and understanding that Thomas refers to. 

SIWI were among the active actors who worked to promote water’s role in climate action across the conference space, participating in events in both country and thematic Pavilions.