Ongoing Initiatives

Subscribe to the Policy Group mailing list

The AGWA Policy Group welcomes new members. We send out regular newsletters on our recent and upcoming activities as well as updates on important climate-water policy news. Access the sign-up form using the button below.

UNFCCC Engagement

One of the ways that AGWA works to influence global climate policy is by engaging directly with the UNFCCC and its subsidiary groups. Since 2018, AGWA has served as the focal point for the water thematic group within the UNFCCC’s official stakeholder platform, the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action. Through this forum, we co-organize an annual Water Action Day at the COP, and support the integration of water more broadly within the global climate agenda. We also share our technical work on adaptation capacity building through other UNFCCC bodies such as the Adaptation Committee, the Nairobi Work Programme, and the Consultative Group of Experts. 

Water Focal Point for the Marrakech Partnership: In this role we coordinate the work of the water group within the Marrakech Partnership - from official COP events to the annual Yearbook of Climate Action, to the Climate Action Pathway for water.

Activities at COP and Intersessionals: Since COP21 in Paris, AGWA has convened or participated in side events, stakeholder forums and official processes such as the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue. We also publish policy briefs and guidance documents on relevant topics including building climate resilient cities and food systems.

Subsidiary and Constituted Bodies of the UNFCCC: In order to further influence the work of the UNFCCC, we participate in the twice-yearly meetings of the Adaptation Committee, regularly liaise with the Nairobi Work Programme’s knowledge-to-action hub for adaptation and resilience, and support the Consultative Group of Experts to develop water-centric adaptation training materials.

Technical Examination Process on Adaptation (TEP-A): As of 2019, AGWA’s Executive Director, John Matthews, serves on the advisory working group of the UNFCCC’s Technical Examination Process on Adaptation (TEP-A). In this capacity we support the annual experts meeting that takes place during the intersession climate conference as well as the technical paper and summary for policymakers that is produced for each COP.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)

The connections between climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) are plentiful, but DRR and climate frameworks, policies and governance are often disconnected. Water is a natural medium of connection between the two and we work to transform how climate and disaster risks are addressed utilizing resilient water management approaches for risk management planning.

UN High-level Experts and Leaders Panel on Water (HELP): Through our relationship with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, we advise the HELP on climate-resilient drought planning and finance. 

UNDRR: We participate in UNDRR conferences and work with our partner organizations to inform national DRR planning under the 2015 Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Watering the NDCs

In advance of the 2020 revision of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, we produced a guidance document for countries seeking to enhance their national commitments related to water and climate change. This crowdsourced report includes dozens of resilient water management resources for national climate focal points and policy makers, and is being used as the basis for the creation of regional working groups to influence national climate and water policy. We update the information on our Watering the NDCs web page periodically to include new or amended information.

Capacity Building and National Policy Support

We work with a diverse set of global partners to support a range of initiatives, processes, and publications related to water, climate and sustainable development policy. We are members of a number of multistakeholder policy initiatives including the Action Platform for Source to Sea Management, the Forests and Water Champions, and the UNECE Task Force on Water and Climate, to name but a few. We also develop education and training materials for resilient water management to be used in workshops, webinars, and university curricula.

Climate and Water Communications

Outreach and awareness raising are key elements of our work’s success. Since 2018 AGWA has been producing its own podcast called ClimateReady to help share stories and insights around global climate-water issues. Over 30 episodes have been released thus far, covering a range of topics and featuring an international set of renowned experts.