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Climate-Resilient Water: COP29 Progress and Challenges

Climate-Resilient Water: COP29 Progress and Challenges

By Mark Duey, CEO, Water For People

As I wrap up my participation in Azerbaijan at COP29 – the annual global convening by the UN focused on accelerating action to tackle the climate crisis – there is plenty of concern.

The World Meteorological Organization has reported that 2024 is on track to be the planet’s hottest year on record. Climate-related disasters have wreaked havoc on several different regions of the world. High-level negotiators have struggled to agree even if the New Collective Quantified Goal (amount of money required to support "developing" countries in their climate actions post-2025) should be in the billions or the trillions of dollars. Nevertheless, I was truly impressed by the energy I felt at COP29 to accelerate climate change mitigation and adaptation solutions. Moreover, I feel optimistic that there is a growing understanding of the importance of putting water at the center of adaptation. 

At COP29, many countries presented their updated national climate action plans. Thanks to the leadership of UNICEF, Sanitation, and Water for All, and to the contributions of many organizations (including Water For People), we now have an agreed-upon definition of climate-resilient WASH. This important process – several years in the making – will be key to helping set global, national, and local WASH targets post-2030.

The Water for Climate Pavilion organized yearly at COP by the Stockholm International Water Institute

Water For People applauds the measures taken by the Green Climate Fund to enhance the accessibility of its funds and recently launched practical guidelines for designing climate-resilient sanitation projects (to accompany its water project design guidelines). We also appreciate the Stockholm International Water Institute for ensuring water is the central stage in global climate discussions by organizing a Water for Climate Pavilion each year at COP. 

Throughout 2024, my travels led me to fascinating discussions about how our changing climate impacts the lives of families worldwide, primarily through water that is sometimes too much, too little, or too polluted. These conversations have spanned from the President of Malawi to my father-in-law, a farmer in Honduras. I am confident that more and more governments, companies, foundations, and individual philanthropists understand there is no better investment to help families around the world adapt to climate change than building the resilience of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. This is exactly what Water For People and our One For All alliance partners do – strengthen the systems that deliver sustainable WASH services for everyone forever. Because WASH systems strengthening is climate action!

Sustainable Development Goal Art at COP29. Photo courtesy of UN Climate Change – Kiara Worth
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