Join For Water is present at the climate conference. Our director Bart Dewaele is part of the official Belgian delegation and, as an observer, is able to attend many official negotiations. You can read his first opinion piece from 12 November here. Below you will find Bart’s latest contribution, straight from Brazil.
Climate conference in Brazil: update
After a week of COP30, negotiations on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), in which water takes first place, are still deadlocked. It seems like a complete stalemate, but appearances can be deceiving.
Nevertheless, a relevant and substantively strong set of indicators is on the table. Most refer to Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation, but some are new, such as making sanitation climate-resistant and better supporting people who have to relocate due to water problems, such as drought or flooding.
It is therefore difficult to understand why the negotiations are so deadlocked. Adaptation is simply inevitable: every country will have to get to work on it, regardless of the global outcome.
“Adaptation is not a technical discussion at UN level, but a daily reality”
Nevertheless, examples from partner countries show that progress is already being made, even without a global agreement.
During a panel discussion, the Ugandan government indicated that it is already incorporating certain indicators into its national adaptation plan, even before they have been approved globally.
An entrepreneur from Burundi explained how important a strong policy framework is for investments in areas such as toilet waste processing.
And young people from Benin who are attending the COP will visit villages upon their return to share their experiences and translate them into practical solutions. They are discussing how local communities can respond to water and climate problems themselves, taking into account opportunities in local policy and budgets.
It is these stories that show that adaptation is not a technical discussion at the UN level, but a daily reality.
Communication and political policy pay off
At the same time, the international playing field remains complex. For some countries, negotiations are a strategic tool, with blocking adaptation stemming from broader interests. Other countries insist on funding as a condition for approving indicators. The discussion about resources and responsibilities in particular continues to weigh on progress.
This raises the question of why countries do not walk away from such difficult negotiations. A diplomat gave me a clear answer: some regions, including the EU, are pursuing authentic policies aimed at a liveable future for their populations by halting global warming. These policies have come about because citizens have voted for them. And because political parties have listened to NGOs such as 11.11.11 and Join For Water, which have been pushing for climate ambition for years. Communication and politics are a long-term endeavour, but they ultimately yield results.
“We do not weigh heavily on formal negotiations, but sometimes our presence is the butterfly effect that later brings about change”
As an observer organisation, Join For Water does not weigh heavily on the formal negotiations, but our presence remains valuable. We ask questions of Belgian negotiators, bring in stories from the Global South, and strengthen our network with partners from Benin, Burundi, Congo, Mali, Peru and Ecuador, among others. Sometimes that is the butterfly effect that brings about change later on.
In the coming days, it will become clear whether countries will reach an agreement that creates more opportunities for governments to implement water and adaptation projects. But regardless of the outcome, one principle remains important: we cannot wait for the whole world to agree. Each country must take action itself, and we continue to work on that every day.
✍️ Text: Bart Dewaele, director of Join For Water