The Declaration on Water for Climate Action, a COP29 Presidency Initiative, together with its Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action, will reinforce the close connection between water and climate change. 

The declaration, already endorsed by more than 50 countries and more organizations calls for mainstreaming water in the climate agenda. The Baku Dialogue, developed with the support of the UNECE Water Convention secretariat, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) sets forth an ambitious agenda to: 

• Foster international and regional partnerships for water management, particularly focusing on transboundary water resources, 

• Strengthen scientific research on climate change impacts on water resources, basins, and water-related ecosystems, 

• Enhance water-related climate policy actions at international, regional, and river basin levels, 

• Promote coherence between climate adaptation and water resource management strategies. 

Leading the initiative, COP 29 President Mukhtar Babayev called for water to be integrated into all aspects of the global climate agenda, highlighting its fundamental role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Dmitry Mariyasin, UNECE Deputy Executive Secretary, emphasized the complex interconnections between water, food security, energy access, and health. He stressed that transboundary water cooperation is the "pathway to water resilience and facilitating climate action on the ground,". UNECE stands ready to further support the implementation of this initiative, together with UNEP and WMO. 

The Baku Dialogue will maintain momentum between annual UN climate negotiations, promoting coherent action on water management, particularly focusing on ecosystems affected by climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and desertification. This continuous engagement aims to ensure that water remains a priority in climate discussions. 

The urgency of this initiative is underscored by recent findings of a study conducted under the Water Convention and its Protocol on Water and Health which finds that less than 20% of Nationally determined Contributions, the main climate policy documents under the Paris agreement at national level, include water, sanitation and hygiene actions as a high priority and less than 2% transboundary water cooperation as a high priority. Presenting this action-oriented document at the COP29 presidency event focused on mainstreaming water into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary to the Water Convention, highlighted the Convention's pioneering work. Since 2006, the Water Convention has established a Task Force on Water and Climate that has supported countries in collaborative climate change adaptation through guidance development, collecting best practices, capacity building, and on-the-ground projects over nearly two decades. 

Beyond the launch of the Baku Dialogue, UNECE's Water Convention secretariat demonstrated its commitment to water-climate action by co-organizing ten side events at COP29. These events covered crucial topics ranging from WASH commitments in a changing climate to integrating water solutions into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). 

At the COP29 presidency event "Accelerate climate action through regional cooperation", co-organized with the COP29 Presidency, WMO and UNEP, key stakeholders explored innovative approaches for integrating water, energy, food, and ecosystem management into comprehensive climate solutions. The discussions emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in driving effective and sustainable climate action across these interconnected sectors. The event also presented an Analytical Brief on Water for Climate Mitigation, prepared by UN-Water, under the leadership of WMO and in collaboration with UNECE, UNESCO, and other key partners. The brief highlights that many climate change mitigation strategies, particularly renewable energy technologies, have varying water requirements that must be carefully considered in comprehensive climate planning.   

A Workshop on Climate Change under the Water Convention and Protocol on Water and Health, scheduled for 19-20 March 2025 in Geneva, will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to further discuss strategies for effective water management in a changing climate.