From COP27 to COP28

With the recent closing of COP28, I hope to use this post to look back at COP27 to see whether progress has been made in terms of water and environmental change in Africa. While this does not explicitly refer to the SRB, it is actually relevant as it focuses on international efforts targeted at water, which is an integral part of achieving effective adaptation for the water crisis under climate change. 

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At COP27, water received unprecedented attention as it was featured for the first time in the final declaration of a climate COP. The declaration states “the critical role of protecting, conserving and restoring water and water-related ecosystems in delivering climate adaptation benefits and co-benefits, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards”. This recognizes the importance of water within the climate crisis, and arouses global awareness on the interconnectedness of water and climate: water cannot be omitted from climate discussions and actions. It is also extremely encouraging to see concrete actions taken to address the water challenges in Africa. For example, the African Cities Water Adaptation Fund (ACWA Fund) aims to provide $5 billion for urban water resilience solutions in Africa by 2032. The lack of funding is a core constraint when developing adaptation measures in Africa (GCA, 2022), so the availability of adaptation funding will definitely assist the formation of effective and sustainable climate adaptation solutions. Additionally, COP27 witnessed the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, which can be used to remedy water-related loss and damages such as drought-induced crop failure.

Building on the efforts of COP27, COP28 managed to bring much more attention onto water issues. Over 250 water-related events were held over the conference with events focusing on water in Africa, for example the event “Water Security for Climate Resilience in Africa” hosted by the African Water Facility and African Development Bank, which gave recommendations on how to respond to climate change by adaptation and increasing climate resilience. The Loss and Damage Fund also operationalized on the first day of COP28, with a total of $792 million pledged for this fund.  

From COP27 to COP28, I think it is a promising advancement towards better water management and adaptation strategies in Africa, with increased global awareness on the water agenda and dedicated fundings for developing solutions in response to the water crisis. However, this marks just the initial stride, underscoring the need for sustained international efforts in addressing the water crisis.