Climate and Water Policy in 2021: COP26, AGWA, and the MPGCA
This blog was written by Anna Ondracek, AGWA’s Water Policy Intern.
Formed in 2015 as a product of negotiations at Conference of the Parties (COP) 21 in Paris, the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Adaptation (MPGCA) has proven a crucial tool in the acceleration of global climate action. The Paris Agreement, signed at COP21, provides the framework for coordinated efforts on climate change mitigation and adaptation by Parties to the Convention (i.e., countries). Many Parties recognized the necessity of engagement with non-state actors if they were to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5º Celsius by 2050. Accelerating both adaptation and mitigation would require linking high-level political action with non-government stakeholders including businesses, civil society, sub-national representatives and indigenous groups. With this in mind, the MPGCA was launched the following year at its namesake Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakech, Morocco.
The Marrakech Partnership plays an integral role in helping countries meet their targets pledged in the Paris Agreement, primarily through the Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs. All sectors contribute to national emissions and have environmental consequences, so creating a comprehensive plan to meet those challenges requires sectoral expertise and science-based knowledge. For this reason, the Climate Action Pathways were established in 2016. The Pathways provide stepping stones for various sectors (listed here on the UNFCCC website) — actions for all invested stakeholders in order to meet the 1.5ºC global target. The actions exist on a timeline, with goals for 2025, 2030, and 2040 and are updated annually in order to provide the most current best practices and scientific evidence. High-Level Champions lead the efforts of the Pathways and mobilize efforts on a national as well as global level.
AGWA has participated and played a leading role in not only the Marrakech Partnership water group, but the Climate Action Pathways as well. From 2018 to 2020, AGWA acted as the Focal Point for the Water sector in MPGCA. Currently, the Co-Focal Points for Water are the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). AGWA coordinates with SIWI and IUCN, as well as CDP, to develop and update annually the Climate Action Pathway for Water. AGWA utilizes its network and technical expertise to contribute to policy documents, technical reports, and connect different organizations in the climate and water space.
The work of AGWA and its partners in the Marrakech Partnership and Climate Action Pathways contributes to the efforts in mainstreaming resilient water management in NDCs and other important national climate adaptation and mitigation initiatives. The 2021 iteration of the Climate Action Pathway is being constructed and updated currently, and will be completed this May. Other important processes and events will take place leading up to COP26 in Glasgow this November. Regional Climate Weeks will occur at various points this summer, with planning roundtables taking place from 3-4 March. Registration for the roundtables can be found at this link and are currently open. COP26 in Glasgow is planned for 1-12 November this year, and more information can be found at this link.
To read more about the Climate Action Pathways, including the current sectoral Action Tables, click this link.
To meet the current High-Level Champions and learn about their role in the MPGCA, follow this link.
For general information about the Marrakech Partnership and its various initiatives, click here. This site also has information about getting involved with MPGCA and signing up for their newsletter.