Does COP30 change the orientation of our political stance to water & climate? Though the UNFCCC’s 30th Conference of the Parties (COP) concluded a few weeks ago, we at Join for Water are still reflecting on the event’s conclusions.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the largest international body of climate governance. Since 1992, COP meetings have steered the global agenda on climate change through consensus-based agreements.
In today’s geopolitics, finding climate solutions that everyone agrees upon is not an easy task.
Join For Water was present at this year’s COP30 in Belem. While the conference is a great networking and advocacy opportunity for us, the policy implications are what overshadow the event.
Going into COP30, we were optimistically watching discussion of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), which was set for decision after a blueprint was created at the previous COP in Dubai. However, the proceedings took a turn in an unexpected way, leaving experts questioning the usefulness of what ended up in the final agreement.
The adopted Global Goal on Adaptation lacks most of the science-based mechanisms for collecting and reporting climate data that existed in draft from the last COP. Without a standardization of these methods, climate adaptation will remain difficult to track and compare globally.
Though the outcome is disappointing, it is what we have to work with until the next COP.
Even within the lacking GGA decision some adaptation indicators do exist, including several that mention water (specifically under Art. 3). We can view these as stepping stones to future UNFCCC policy, hopefully revealing in the coming years that a more concrete approach to adaptation measures is necessary to ensure global water security, and use our position to advocate for more robust indicators.
In the meantime, we can also turn our attention to another UNFCCC concept, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). NAPs are an older project, focusing on states’ individual approaches to climate adaptation rather than a global approach. They are based on the UNFCCC’s principle of “Common But Differentiated Responsibilities”, which states that developed and developing nations have varying duties based on their respective capacities.
NAPs link a broader global concept to the local level. Though they are not mandated to, many developing countries submit their NAPs to the UNFCCC. Through these documents, we can see in each country what adaptation measures exist and gain an understanding of how we might support our partner countries in their goals on adaptation relating to water.
Opportunities to support climate adaptation measures exist with or without a clear global framework. By turning our attention to this need at a time when it has not been appropriately governed, our approach might end up being more important than ever.
In an ever-changing world of climate governance, Join For Water is prepared to adjust to the current while maintaining the same vision of ensuring water for all.