Collaborative climate action from the water and ocean communities
Photo: Masonjar / Shutterstock The first ever joint event by the Water for Climate and Ocean Pavilions signifies a step change in the recognition of the need for collaborative climate action. This exciting venture is hoped to be the catalyst for a long-standing unison of the two communities.
As the world is uniting to discuss the escalating climate crisis, there is increasing recognition of the vital role that water – both freshwater and the ocean – plays in effective climate action.
Freshwater, coasts, and the ocean are some of the strongest allies for tackling climate change. And their holistic management, from source to sea, is essential to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. This means that science, policy, and practice all need to bridge land, fresh water, coasts, and the ocean to both provide and discover effective climate solutions. These holistic solutions will deliver simultaneously on sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, environmental protection, and biodiversity targets. Only in this way can we accelerate progress on the Paris Agreement, 2030 Agenda, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and Global Biodiversity Framework.
To this end, the Water for Climate Pavilion and the Ocean Pavilion have come together to initiate a confluence of fresh- and saltwater experts, advocates, policy makers, and practitioners with the first ever joint event between the Water for Climate and the Ocean Pavilions: Confluence: Bridging the Ocean and Freshwater for Collective Science and Solutions.
“Climate change is felt through water, either with increased droughts and floods, more extreme weather events or as warming ocean temperatures and sea level rise. Water must be central to fighting climate change and by working together, the freshwater and ocean communities hold the key to unlocking powerful climate solutions” says Thomas Rebermark, Chair of the Water for Climate Pavilion. At this important event, the freshwater and ocean communities will discuss how to harness their collective knowledge and ambitions for decisive climate action.
“Water must be central to fighting climate change and by working together, the freshwater and ocean communities hold the key to unlocking powerful climate solutions.”
Despite the health of freshwater, coasts, and the ocean – from source to sea – being paramount for concerted and ambitious climate action, the water, ocean, and climate communities tend to tackle their issues independently of each other, without recognizing the deep connections they have. Bridging institutional silos and harmonizing policies and planning within countries allows for the implementation of holistic management approaches, from source to sea. Such an approach, is essential for unlocking water across the full water cycle as a powerful tool in climate mitigation and adaptation.
“It’s very exciting that the water and ocean communities are finally coming together to collaborate about climate,” commented Ruth Mathews, Coordinator of the Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management. “By recognizing our interdependencies and joining forces we can create a unified approach to tackling the biggest problem to ever face humankind. Aligning our goals within climate strategies and speaking with one voice across the source-to-sea continuum will undoubtedly reap rewards.”
“By recognizing our interdependencies and joining forces we can create a unified approach to tackling the biggest problem to ever face humankind.”
The event will be comprised of a dialogue for the two communities to:
- Overcome challenges in cross-sectoral collaboration and determine concrete mechanisms that will allow them to work in unison.
- Investigate the level of understanding they have of their interdependencies and document areas where a lack of knowledge exists.
- Explore how they can work collectively towards the overall goals of improving communication, data sharing, and positive outcomes for the world.
- Identify research, governance, and finance needs for the advancement of holistic climate solutions.
“Water, whether fresh or salty, has too long been left out of the climate negotiations despite it being a fundamental source of life on Earth and a potential resource for climate solutions of all sorts,” said Kilaparti Ramakrishna, Director of the Marine Policy Center and Senior Advisor to the President on Ocean and Climate Policy at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. “By bringing together the water and ocean communities at COP28, we hope to kickstart a long-lasting collaboration with the potential to reap significant benefits for those most severely affected by climate change. The Ocean Pavilion is proud to host this meeting of our two communities.”
“By bringing together the water and ocean communities at COP28, we hope to kickstart a long-lasting collaboration with the potential to reap significant benefits for those most severely affected by climate change.”
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Join SIWI in a range of events as we highlight water’s role in effectively addressing climate change. We are also the leading organizer of the Water for Climate Pavilion, where much of the water-related events will take place.
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