At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil from 10–21 November 2025, GWP will highlight climate-resilient water investments as a key driver of global climate action. Building on its new Strategy 2026–2030, GWP will demonstrate how investing in water security can accelerate adaptation, strengthen resilience, and unlock climate and development finance.
GWP will showcase solutions and partnerships that enable countries to mobilise finance, strengthen resilience, and integrate water into climate and development planning. Its engagement will focus on advancing key global processes under the Paris Agreement, including the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) and the negotiations to establish a New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG).
GWP Highlights at COP30:
- Presentation of the Latin America and Caribbean Climate-Resilient Water Investment Programme
📅 11 November, 14:00–15:00 (GMT-3) – Global Climate Action (GCA) Thematic Hub, Blue Zone
GWP and partners will showcase Africa’s water investment success as a foundation for the Latin America and Caribbean USD 20 billion initiative to develop and implement a Regional Water Investment Programme, backed by a High-Level Panel of Heads of State and Leaders.
This event, titled “Showcase of Highlighted Results & Solutions – Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments: A 20B LAC Initiative,” will present the Latin America and Caribbean Water Investment Programme (LAC-IP), co-convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). The LAC-IP establishment builds on the achievements of the Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) and represents a major step in scaling up efforts through the Global Water Investment Platform, led by the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments, a G20 Presidential Legacy Initiative launched by H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa in August 2025.
The event will highlight AIP achievements, which have leveraged up to USD 12 billion in water and sanitation investments, and feature urban water resilience projects led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in South Africa, Ethiopia, and Rwanda.
The event is organised by the Global Water Partnership (GWP) in collaboration with ECLAC, CAF, WRI, and other partners engaged in the Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments. - High-Level Meeting on the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action
📅 11 November, 16:30–18:00 (GMT-3) – Blue Zone, Special Events Room 1
This high-level platform will advance global collaboration on water-related climate action, building on the COP29 Declaration on Water for Climate Action – endorsed by 73 countries and nearly 100 stakeholders. The event brings together governments, international organisations, and non-state actors to showcase progress since COP29 and chart the next phase of implementation. It seeks to strengthen political momentum for integrating water into climate policies such as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), align efforts across COP Presidencies and UN bodies, and formalise the Baku Dialogue as a long-term mechanism for coordinated action and measurable impact on the water–climate nexus.
The meeting is organised by the COP30 Brazil Presidency, the COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency, the COP28 United Arab Emirates Presidency, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). - Indicators for Water and Sanitation under the Global Goal on Adaptation: What’s at stake at COP30 and beyond
📅 14 November, 10:00-11:30 – Water for Climate Pavilion
This session will launch a new technical brief on how water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems contribute to community resilience to climate change. The publication provides practical guidance to help countries strengthen monitoring of climate adaptation progress.
The event is jointly organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Sanitation and Water for All (SWA), and the Global Water Partnership (GWP). - Climate-Resilient and Inclusive Water Security in Africa – What Are We Learning?
📅 18 November, 17:30-19:00 – African Pavilion
This session will share lessons and partnerships that scale up Africa’s water–climate investments, showcasing progress, innovations, and opportunities to strengthen climate-resilient and inclusive water security across the continent.
The event is organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) with support from the European Union (EU), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the AU-AIP Secretariat, and the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW). - Accelerating Action on the Water-Climate Nexus
📅 17 November, 11:00–12:00 (GMT-3) – NDC Partnership Pavilion
This event aims to highlight how integrating water into climate action can accelerate global progress toward resilience and sustainability. Convened by the Netherlands in collaboration with the NDC Partnership, the session showcases real-world examples of how targeted technical assistance is helping countries strengthen climate planning, build institutional capacity, and mobilize investment for water-related projects. As nations advance their next generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0), this event provides a platform to share lessons learned, discuss the strategic role of the water–food–energy–climate nexus, and announce the next phase of joint action to scale up support for water-focused climate initiatives.
GWP representatives will also take part in the NDC Partnership 9th Annual Forum and contribute across the Water for Climate Pavilion and other thematic platforms.
Driving Global Momentum on Water Investment
At COP30, GWP will position water as a strategic enabler of climate and economic resilience, aligned with its new Strategy 2026–2030 and the Global Transformation Agenda on Water Investments. Recognised under the COP30 Action Agenda’s Activation Group 14: Water Management, this initiative seeks to transform the scale, speed, and quality of global water financing.
Since 2020, GWP has supported more than 45 countries to access €150 million in climate finance, influencing over €2 billion in investments and strengthening water governance across more than 90 countries.
Key Messages from GWP at COP30
GWP calls on Parties and partners to:
- Close the climate-resilient water investment gap through stronger political leadership and finance mobilisation.
- Integrate water into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to drive adaptation and sustainable growth.
- Adopt inclusive, gender-transformative, and youth-led approaches in water and climate action.
- Promote cooperation and knowledge exchange to scale up effective, climate-resilient water investments.
GWP Delegation at COP30
GWP’s delegation to COP30 will be led by Fabiola Tábora (GWP Central America), joined by regional and technical representatives:
- Kidanemariam Jembere (GWP Southern Africa)
- Jorge Werneck Lima (GWP Steering Committee)
- Franz Rojas (GWP Technical Committee)
- Kouakou Alexis Kouassi (GWP West Africa)
Additional members from the global and regional secretariats will support both onsite and virtual participation throughout the conference.