event 12 Nov 2021 time 10:45 GMT+1

COP26 // Water, climate, and borders - The role of River Basin Cooperation for Climate Resilience

The Water Pavilion is a multimedia pavilion located in the Blue Zone throughout COP26 in Glasgow between 1 November and 12 November 2021. This online session, held at the Water Pavilion at COP26 on November 12, will explore management and coordination of climate adaptation projects that facilitate transboundary cooperation, with a focus on transboundary water, and increase climate resilience as a result. It will be livestreamed via Youtube.

RBO session cover picture

November 12 | 09:45 - 10:45 GMT (10:45-11:45 GMT+1) hybrid

Live-stream via Youtube

About the Event

The impacts of both climate change and conflict know no borders. Yet, the focus for climate decision makers in these transboundary basins remains at the national level, primarily through their various ministries. River Basin Organisations (RBOs) are important transnational bodies that are well placed to play the role of moderator and coordinator across borders to address climate resilience and contribute to resource security and stability. This session will facilitate a discussion between various RBOs around their experiences on the management and coordination of climate mitigation and adaptation projects, enabling greater transboundary climate resilience. It will discuss how to include more transboundary elements into national climate policies and strategies and the role of RBOs in this. Special attention is given to existing transboundary projects and policies as well as the role of supportive frameworks such as the Water Convention and the Water-Energy-Food Security Nexus approach.

Speakers

  • Tanja Gönner, Chair of the Management Board, Deutsche Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (opening speech)
  • Abderahim Bireme Hamid, Executive Secretary, Niger Basin Authority (NBA)
  • An Pich Hatda: Chief Executive Officer of the Mekong River Commission Secretariat
  • Maria Alexandra Moreira Lopez: Secretary General of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization
  • Hycinth Banseka, Technical Director, Lake Chad Basin Commission
  • Christine Niyotwambaza, Deputy Director General, Rwanda Water Resources Board and Technical Advisory Committee Chair for ABAKIR
  • Harry Liiv, Chair of the Water Convention and co-chair of the Russian-Estonian commission on transboundary waters
  • Robert Bradley, Director of Knowledge and Learning, NDC-Partnership

The session will be moderated by Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention and co-Secretary of the Protocol on Water and Health, UNECE.

Conveners

GIZ and UNECE Secretariat of the Water Convention, with Lake Kivu and River Rusizi Basin Authority (ABAKIR), Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Mekong River Commission (MRC), Niger Basin Authority (NBA), Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO).

Watch Session

The livestream will be available on the official Water Pavilion website.

Further Information

More information regarding the session is available here.

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