COP 29// Climate-informed transboundary water management as a tool for achieving progress within UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience

Water-related impacts of climate change cross international borders. 153 countries and around 40% of the world’s population share water resources in transboundary basins in rivers, lakes, and (groundwater) aquifers. This shared water accounts for approximately 60% of the global freshwater available.

Climate scenarios showcase future trends in flow reduction, water scarcity as well as increased droughts and floods in transboundary basins. Thus, basin-wide climate change adaptation mechanisms need to be developed and implemented on the transboundary and regional levels. In addition, there is a need for coordination between countries in developing and implementing their national climate policies such as NDCs and NAPs as showcased in the dedicated Action-oriented document on mainstreaming transboundary water management and cooperation into Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans developed by UNECE. Those processes can be supported by international organizations as well as by the global frameworks such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Water Convention.

Effective transboundary cooperation across water-dependent sectors is crucial to build climate resilience, making adaptation and mitigation more effective and efficient and avoiding maladaptation. Furthermore, transboundary water cooperation contributes to building peace and security on the national, regional and global levels.

The 6^th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the decisions of the 28^th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognize that climate change impacts are often transboundary in nature and involve complex risks which can be addressed through climate-informed transboundary management. They also emphasize the crucial role of water, inland water ecosystems and the benefits of transboundary cooperation for building climate resilience in the framework of the Global Goal on Adaptation.

The session "Climate-informed transboundary water management as a tool for achieving progress within UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience" aims to showcase best practices, achievements and lessons learnt in building climate resilience in transboundary basins (i.a. based on the findings of the third reporting exercise on SDG indicator 6.5.2, with a Special Focus on Climate Change). To this end, the session will discuss how transboundary water cooperation can support the implementation of the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience together with the UAE-Belem work program on indicators, and provide insights on how cross-country cooperation incl. through the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) on Transboundary Water Management in Africa and specifically transboundary basin organizations worldwide can increase climate resilience and contribute to building peace and security in specific countries and regions.


Session information

21 November 2024, 17:00-18:10 | Azerbaijan pavilion (Blue zone, room A)

The event will be organized by the Republic of Azerbaijan, the German Development Cooperation (GIZ) and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). UNECE hosts the Secretariat of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention).

Draft Programme

Moderators: Ms. Hanna Plotnykova, Water Convention Secretariat, UNECE and GIZ (tbd.)

• Opening remarks
  • Mr. Vugar Karimov, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  • Mr. Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

• Introductory presentation
  • Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary, Water Convention, UNECE

• Moderated Panel Discussion – Best practices, achievements and
  lessons learnt in building climate resilience in transboundary basins

• Q&A

• Conclusion & Way forward