From 30 November to 12 December 2023, the 28th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) took place in Dubai, hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates.

Several decisions adopted at COP 28 refer to water and transboundary issues. In particular, COP 28 decision on the Glasgow–Sharm el-Sheikh work programme on the global goal on adaptation (GGA) includes water as the first target in the framework of GGA namely  “Significantly reducing climate-induced water scarcity and enhancing climate resilience to water-related hazards towards a climate-resilient water supply, climate-resilient sanitation and towards access to safe and affordable potable water for all”. Another target on GGA refers to accelerating the use of ecosystem-based adaptation and nature-based solutions, including through the protection of inland water ecosystems. Moreover, the afore-mentioned decision on GGA recognizes that climate change impacts are often transboundary in nature and can benefit from climate-informed transboundary management. It also emphasizes that the framework for the global goal on adaptation should strengthen regional and international cooperation. Another COP28 decision on the outcome of the first global stocktake recognizers the crucial role of water and water-related ecosystems for adaptation as well as of international collaboration, including transboundary cooperation, for addressing climate change impacts and contributing to progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement.

More information on the importance of transboundary water cooperation for climate change adaptation is available in the dedicated policy brief of the Transboundary Water Cooperation Coalition.

The secretariat of the Water Convention co-organized and contributed to several events at the COP 28 as described in the table below.

For more information regarding COP 28 in general, please access the following link.

Timing	Events	On site and/or online
Tuesday, 5 December 17:00 - 18:00 Dubai time	Watering the clean energy transition co-organized with COP28 Presidency, UK, Egypt, Japan, WMO, UNESCO, the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation and the Water and Climate Leaders	MR2, Blue Zone (B1)   Recording
Wednesday, 6th December 10:00 - 11:30 Dubai time	Building Peace Through Climate Security in Transboundary Water Cooperation co-organized with Slovenia, UNICEF, WHO and EcoPeace	Water Pavilion Recording
Wednesday, 6th December 17:00 - 18:00 Dubai time	High-level panel on peace, security and health co-organized with Slovenia, UNICEF, WHO and EcoPeace	Water Pavilion  Recording
Sunday, 10th December 10:00 - 11:30 Dubai time	Water for peace and security: From risk to resilience co-organized withCOP28 Presidency, IFRC, Water, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnership, the Hague Centre for Strategic Studies and UNCCD	Green Zone, Conference Centre connect, C3, Multipurpose hall
Sunday, 10th December 12:40 - 14:30 Dubai time	Restoring and conserving wetlands as a tool to reduce water scarcity in transboundary basins co-organized with Azerbaijan, Slovenia and the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands	Azerbaijani Pavilion and online
Sunday, 10th December 16:45 - 17:45 Dubai time	Improving climate resilience through transboundary cooperation co-organized with BMZ, GIZ and AMCOW	SDG Pavilion