IOWater - International News

7 The News N° 29 Information: Fax: +33 1 44 90 88 60 - E-mail: secretariat@inbo-news.org Measures to halt global warming are gene- rally considered to be one of the most signi- ficant civilizational challenges and a prere- quisite for implementing the principles and goals of sustainable development. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its annual Conferences of the Parties (COPs), which are the main deci- sion-making body of the Convention, are the most important instrument of international cooperation on the fight against the effects of climate change. One of the most important tasks of COP24 was to develop and adopt a set of decisions ensuring the full implementation of the Paris Agreement, in accordance with the decisions adopted in Paris (COP21) and Marrakech (CMA1.1). In addition, COP24 included the Facilitation Dialogue to support the imple- mentation of national commitments. The International Network of Basin Organi- sations (INBO), on its own and as Secretariat of the Global Alliances for Water and Climate (GAfWaC), organised and participated in 9 events and a dozen bilateral meetings during COP24 (Katowice, Poland) on the theme of water and climate. These events dealt with challenges and solu- tions related to: l Adaptation to climate change in trans- boundary basins, water security; l Access to climate funds for adaptation projects in the water sector; l Capacity building and dissemination of knowledge; l Dialogue between stakeholders from different sectors; l Research and innovation to fight against climate change in Africa (AfriAlliance); l The need for better governance for suc- cessful development of the blue economy; l The value of preserving ecosystems and nature-based solutions for adaptation. Moreover, during a side event in the French Pavilion, Ms. Brune Poirson, Secretary of State to the French Minister for Ecological and Soli- darity Transition, announced that the next “One Planet Summit” will be held in Nairobi (Kenya) on Thursday 14 March 2019. It will address the issue of adaptation and will focus on Africa. Mr Eric Tardieu, new General Secretary of the International Network of Basin Organisations (INBO), confirmed that he would contribute by presenting the progress made in the “100 water and climate projects for Africa” initiative. On 8 December, on the occasion of the “Member State and Government” Day, the Global Alliances for Water and Climate (GAfWaC), in collaboration with the Govern- ments of Senegal, France and the Kingdom of Morocco, organised an event on “Adaptation in the water sector: ensuring water security in a context of climate change”. As 90% of the impacts associated with climate change affect our societies through the water cycle according to the 5 th Assess- ment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), droughts, floods, desertification are a threat to water security and, beyond that, to the energy and food security of our societies. This event aimed to promote the French Spea- king World as an opportunity for exchanges between river basins around the world to identify and apply climate change adaptation solutions. It presented actions for adaptation to climate change implemented in the basins worldwide. www.inbo-news.org/en/events/cop24 www.water-climate-alliances.org/news/cop24-katowice 4 COP24: INBO’s events on water and climate 3 - 14 December 2018 - Katowice - Poland A l l i a n c e s M o n d i a l e s p o u r l ’ E a u e t l e C l i m a t A M E C B a s s i n s E n t r e p r i s e s M é g a c i t é s D e s s a l e m e n t G l o b a l A l l i a n c e s f o r W a t e r a n d C l i m a t e G A f W a C B a s i n s B u s i n e s s M e g a c i t i e s D e s a l i n a t i o n Ms. Brune Poirson, Secretary of State to the French Minister for Ecological and Solidarity Transition © INBO Speech by Mr. Eric Tardieu, INBO General Secretary international events