UN Climate Change Conference COP25
The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) believes water is at the heart of climate change. IWMI will be attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP25, this year from December 2 – 13 in Madrid, Spain. COP25 strives to further develop the Paris Climate Change Agreement and IWMI researchers will collaborate with global leaders to find adaptive solutions to climate change.
Hear Dr. Claudia Sadoff addresses the High-Level Segment at COP25.
More information is available at:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/11/1052251 and unfccc.int
| Tuesday, December 3rd | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Joint GWP-AGWA event. “Watering the NDCs: Water-smart climate policies for improving NDC ambition and outcomes” Location: NDC Partnership Pavilion |
| Wednesday, December 4th | 15:00 – 16:30 Raising ambition for climate action: transformative actions for a food secure future Location: Room 5 |
| Thursday, December 5th | 12:20 – 12:35 Initiatives, pilots and best practices on climate resilient water resource management15:00 -1630 Action for Adaptation: How We Manage Water for Climate Change Resilience – IWMI and World Water Council (WWC) Side Event Partner: Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA) Location: Hall 4, Room 6 17:00 – 18:00 Side Event on Resilient Basins Location: MDB Pavilion |
| Friday, December 6th | 10:00 – 13:00 MPGCA Water Action Event 2019: Just Add Water: Solutions for the 2020 NDCs and beyond Location: Hall 4, Room 6 13:00 – 14:30 Panel: IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate Location: TBA 16:45 – 18:15 Building a research-for-development partnership for thriving drylands in a changing climate Location: Side Event Room 3 |
| Saturday, December 7th | 15:00 – 16:00 Climate Change, Mountain and the Future of Humanity Location: NDC Partnership Pavilion |
| Wednesday, December 11th | 10:30 – 11:00 UNFCCC press conference on NDCs and SDGs: water as a connector to increase ambitions and accelerate implementation. Location: TBA 14:30 – 16:00 Solutions to scale up climate action in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Location: Cryosphere Pavilion 15:00 – 16:30 Global Water Partnership side event (technical) on continental/regional Project Preparation Partnerships for Climate Resilient Water Projects in Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean, and Latin America and the Caribbean Location: TBA |
Action for Adaptation: How We Manage Water for Climate Change Resilience
December 5th 15.00-16.30; Room #6
Co-hosted by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and World Water Council (WWC)
Context:
Water is at the heart of climate change but is not on the political radar. Even by climate change’s destructive standards, water is in an increasingly grim bind, and many of the projections in the developing world make for even more unsettling viewing. Perhaps the greatest shame of all, though, is that many of the crises that are currently making headlines could just as easily be opportunities for progress.
We have adaptive solutions. Improved urban water resilience could yield a trillion-dollar economic boost, instead of billions in losses. Farmers can be supported so that they do not lose everything whenever vicious and increasingly frequent droughts hit. Efficient and sustainable water management is the principal measure through which societies can adapt to climate change. But until water receives the focus it warrants, we will have insufficient resources and clout to build resilience among the planet’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
The recent calls to action demand a new narrative on water management. The emerging adaptation agenda is focused around four water action tracks on harnessing the power of nature and expanding water infrastructure, using water more productively, empowering better flood and drought planning, improving water governance and scaling up financing
This side event, led by IWMI and the World Water Council, brings together experts to further catalyze actions by highlighting how smarter water management can deliver critical adaptation solutions. The event format will be a mix of plenary presentations and panel discussions.
The objectives:
- Highlight the key findings of the water background paper of the Global Commission on Adaptation report
- Provide insight on adaptation solutions in key water management area – agriculture, cities, infrastructure and finance.
- Provide an opportunity for countries across the world to highlight ongoing adaptation activities in water and the challenges faced.
Program:
| 15:00 | Welcome by WWC and IWMI and setting the agenda |
| 15.10 | Keynote by a GCA commissioner (TBC) |
| 15.20 | Introductory remarks by Jennifer Sara – World Bank (TBC) |
| 15.25 | Key findings from the GCA background water paper – John Matthews AGWA |
| 15.35 | Adaptation in Action Panel – Moderated by Mark Smith Food – Dr Bruce Campbell; Program Director CCAFS GIAR Cities – Joanna Corrigan, Senior Civil Engineer, Arup Finance – Dr Srinivasan Ancha; Principal Climate Change Specialist and Climate Change Focal point for Southeast Asia; Asian Development Bank Infrastructure and Nature-Based Solutions –Basel Infrastructure Group Questions from the audience |
| 16.00 | Opportunities and Challenges in adaptation: country context- Moderated by Mark Smith Nepal Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, Joint Secretary, Chief, Climate Change Management Division, National Focal Point to UNFCCC, UNCCD, PPCR & IPCC, Ministry of Forests and Environment Grenada – (TBC); Senegal (TBC); Cabo Verde (TBC) Netherlands; (Mark to confirm) Angola (TBC) Questions from the audience |
| 16.25 | Summarizing the water message to the negotiators – Italian negotiator |
| 16.30 | Closing |
Claudia Sadoff
Director General
c.sadoff [at] cgiar.org
IWMI Headquarters
Colombo, Sri Lanka
English
Water security, water resources management, water and growth, transboundary waters, water and climate change
Mark Smith
Deputy Director General – Research for Development
mark.smith [at] cgiar.org
IWMI Headquarters
Colombo, Sri Lanka
English, French
Water resources, river basin management, agriculture, climate change, water governance and sustainable development
Rachael McDonnell
Strategic Program Director
R.Mcdonnell [at] cgiar.org
IWMI Italy
Rome, Italy
English, French
Climate change assessment, climate adaptation, climate risk management, drought monitoring and planning, water governance, water policy, science to policy
Aditi Mukherji
Principal Researcher
A.Mukherji [at] cgiar.org
IWMI – New Delhi
New Delhi, India
English, Bengali, Hindi and Nepali
Water adaptation and climate change; water-energy-food nexus; water policies and institutions; groundwater governance; community water management
Manohara Khadka
IWMI Country Representative – Nepal
M.Khadka [at] cgiar.org
IWMI Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal
English, Nepali
Political economy, gender and social inclusion analysis of forestry, water, climate change, food systems, livelihoods, and policy and development research in natural resource management policies/programs in Hindu Kush Himalayan region, including Nepal