As host country, Egypt will attempt to unite 35,000 participants under a collective ambition to tackle climate change. GWP, as a leading authority on water governance, will be active throughout the COP as an observer organisation and a core partner of the COP27 Water Pavilion supported by the Egyptian Government. GWP’s priorities include drawing greater attention to how communities are successfully adapting to the impacts of climate change, with a focus on near-term action to improve resilience . GWP also views COP27 as the right moment to take honest stock of progress made, to turn the funds already pledged into real investment for a just transition, and to collaborate across regional and local efforts.
GWP’s activities will focus on strengthening relationships with countries and donors to support them in catalysing climate-resilient development. GWP will also champion water equity in Sharm El-Sheikh, especially for women and youth.
Highlights of GWP’s activities during COP27
Please note that changes may still occur in the below listed activities. All times are UTC+2.
7-8 NOVEMBER
GWP Executive Secretary and CEO, Dario Soto Abril, will attend the High-Level Implementation Summit, including the High-Level Roundtable on Water Security, the first time ever water has received such great attention at the Heads-of-State level within a COP. Within this Summit, at 14:00 on November 8th, GWP will also support the organization of a Heads-of-State event for the inauguration of the International High-Level Panel on Water Investments for Africa, convened by Senegal. At the same time, a Ministerial-level dialogue will also take place to raise awareness for this important work within the Water Pavilion’s Finance Day programme.
11 NOVEMBER
At 16:00, the Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) will be launching its new awareness campaign at the African Union Pavilion.
12 NOVEMBER
GWP is a core partner of the 225-square-metre Water Pavilion, which will host thematic days and events throughout COP27, including a Thematic Day on Water and Climate: Adaptation, Resilience and Cooperation, co-curated by GWP, AGWA and the Government of Egypt.
At 15:00–16:30, the UN Water Expert Group on Water and Climate will hold the side event Achieving Climate Change adaptation and mitigation through Water Resilience supported by multiple UN Agencies and other organisations, including GWP.
At 16:45–18:15, AGWA and IWMI will be launching the Expanded Water Tracker for national climate planning partnership – a tool GWP supports in its member countries.
14 NOVEMBER
In a historic move, the Egyptian Presidency has dedicated this day to highlight the importance of water issues within climate discussions. The 8-hour programme will include the launch of its new AWARe initiative, or Action on Water Adaptation and Resilience, which GWP has committed to support.
November 14th is also the Water Day for the Marrakech Partnership, the formal UNFCCC non-state actor mechanism. Dario Soto Abril, will be a panelist in the session dedicated to The power of water: reaching climate security through water by cross-sectoral, inclusive and ambitious action. In addition, GWP Southern Africa and WRI will announce a new partnership for Africa within the Marrakech Partnership’s Breakthrough Labs.
At the WMO Science Pavilion, GWP’s Associated Programme of Flood Management and Integrated Drought Management Programme will co-host a virtual session entitled The Last Mile: Flood and Drought Awareness, Warning and Response Capabilities.
Finally, at 16:00, Dario Soto Abril will speak about Building your Water and Climate Career at the Children and Youth Pavilion.
15 NOVEMBER
At 13:15–14:45, the official UNFCCC side event Finance for Climate Resilience in the Mediterranean and Africa: Water-wise Adaptation will be opened by GWP Chair, Pablo Bereciartua. Co-convened by GWP, the International Water Resources Association, and the Union for the Mediterranean, the event will bring together representatives from Morocco, the Congo, the GCF, AfDB and UNDP to discuss climate-resilient water investments, especially in arid and developing countries.
Supporting GWP’s Integrated Drought Management Programme, Pablo Bereciartua will contribute as a panelist to a high-level ministerial side event of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, Rising up from Drought Together: Towards Global Action for Drought Resilience.
16 NOVEMBER
The Water Pavilion will host a Thematic Day on Accelerating Youth, Indigenous and Gender Action on Climate and Water, curated by GWP, Sanitation and Water for All, and the American University of Cairo. GWP’s Associated Programme of Flood Management and Integrated Drought Management Programme will be part of a storytelling session about accessing water and coping with drought, and GWP Central America will join a session on women as changemakers.
17 NOVEMBER
This will be WASH Day at the Water Pavilion. GWP’s Global Water Leadership Programme will contribute to UNICEF’s morning session at 10:15–11:30, while another session at 13:15–14:00 will see the launch of the updated GWP–UNICEF Strategic Framework for Climate Resilient WASH Development.
18 NOVEMBER
Things will wrap up in the Water Pavilion at the end of the COP with the Closing Session from 9:00-13:00.