Achieving the Global Goal on Adaptation

TD2 will strive to unite diverse stakeholders within the water community – and beyond – to articulate a shared vision for how water contributes to global adaptation, what water-related adaptation targets could look and how the community can support the GGA process effectively beyond 2023.

Together, we will refine a set of key messages and recommendations that will help diverse stakeholders effectively advocate for water’s inclusion in the GGA during current and future negotiations.  

TD2 will be programmed to support the following objectives that correspond to the 3 key messages that have been drafted: 

1. As an essential resource for adaptation, water must be highlighted as a strong component of the GGA Framework.
2. Water-related adaptation targets can raise the ambition needed to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation.
3. The expertise of the water community can be harnessed to support the articulation and development of the GGA framework beyond 2023

Together, we will strive to articulate the urgency behind centering water in the GGA and position the water community as a united coalition that is ready and willing to support the implementation of such outcomes.   

1. As an essential resource for adaptation, water must be highlighted as a strong component of the GGA Framework.

Water is one of Earth’s most precious resources, sustaining well-being, ecosystems, economies, biodiversity and society as a whole. The global climate crisis makes the management of water availability and quality increasingly difficult, demanding adaptation strategies for this scarce and precious resource. Global adaptation to climate change will not be successful without careful consideration and management of water and freshwater ecosystems. 

As both an enabling factor as well as a constraint on humanity’s ability to adapt to climate change, water needs to be highlighted as a core part of the GGA Framework.  

2. Water-related adaptation targets can raise the ambition needed to achieve the Global Goal on Adaptation. 

Water features in several global agreements, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk reduction, The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention), the United Nations Conventions to Combat Desertification, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. However, water is not mentioned in the Paris Agreement, and the existing global frameworks that address water do not include climate-rooted adaptation targets. Currently, there are no global frameworks with targets that explicitly link water with climate outcomes. 

Setting sectoral targets has driven ambition and provided guidance towards sustainable development and poverty eradication.  Defining water-related adaptation targets within the GGA Framework offers a unique opportunity to enhance climate adaptation ambition, transform existing governance and management systems, and to increase coherence of the existing global frameworks to bring about a sustainable and climate resilient future for all. 

3. The expertise of the water community can be harnessed to support the articulation and development of the GGA framework beyond 2023 

The water sector has been refining and evolving its approach to monitoring progress for decades.  The GGA does not have to start from zero or work in isolation when it comes to establishing targets and monitoring progress.  The water community can provide technical support to parties as needed: 

a. With the development of targets and indicators; 

b. With monitoring global progress towards agreed targets