20 November 2024 - “It is time for us to work together in advocating, aligning and accelerating for more robust water actions that contribute to climate actions,” the Special Envoy on Water, Retno Marsudi said as she addressed the global water community. Her message came on the first day of UNFCCC COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan at the inauguration of the Water for Climate Pavilion.
Ms. Marsudi called for closer collaboration and coherence of all water stakeholders and initiatives, to bring concrete changes and results in the climate change agenda. “Because of climate change, 29.4 million people were affected by drought in 2023, and 32 million people were affected by floods,” she highlighted.
The President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. Emomali Rahmon, also spoke at the inauguration ceremony along with Prince Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, the Climate Envoy of the Netherlands, H.E. Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister for Energy and Sustainability of the United Arab Emirates, as well as Tony Agotha, the EU Special Envoy for Climate and Environment.
The Head of Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), as the host of the Pavilion, expressed that the purpose for the SIWI’s initiatives, including the establishment of a dedicated Pavilion at COP29, is to raise awareness of linkages between water and climate, and more importantly, to generate initiatives that address water and climate challenges as intertwined issues.
“Water is not to be seen only as the victim of climate change. But water is also the solution to climate change,” added Ms. Marsudi, highlighting how solutions to water in turn will bring benefits and support efforts to tackle climate change.
All speakers at the inauguration of the Pavilion agreed that coherence and synergized actions are of the highest priorities. They include coherence in initiatives and synergy among water actors such as women, youths, persons with disabilities and others. “Together we are better. Together we are stronger,” Ms. Marsudi concluded.
The participation of the UN Special Envoy on Water at COP29 is timely in implementing the mandate of the Special Envoy and elevating water in the global agenda. Throughout COP29, the Special Envoy continued to emphasize that water and climate change are intertwined in sessions and bilateral meetings with stakeholders.
Learn more about the Special Envoy on Water.