Water and Climate Diplomacy

Many transboundary water basins around the world are facing climate-related challenges that will intensify in the decades to come. Successful adaptation will be an important precondition for ensuring sustainable development and political stability in these basins. At the same time, stability and cooperation are preconditions for successful adaptation. How can riparians best achieve these interrelated objectives? And with the international community seeking to support both processes, how can water and climate diplomacy strengthen each other?

Water and Climate Diplomacy – Integrative Approaches for Adaptive Action in Transboundary River Basins outlines key water governance instruments that support climate change adaptation in transboundary basins. An increasing number of river basins use such instruments, for example data and information sharing mechanisms or flexible water treaties, to address the impacts of climate change and build adaptive capacities. Yet, this report also shows that in many basins such instruments are not employed at all or only to a limited extent. In identifying existing shortcomings, the report asks how such weaknesses could potentially be ameliorated by climate policy instruments.

Calming the Waters: Why We Need to Better Integrate Climate and Water Policy - blog post by Sabine Blumstein.

Contact details: Sabine Blumstein and Benjamin Pohl.