The UN Climate Conference (COP29) wrapped last week leaving some delegates bitterly disappointed over the final outcomes and others relieved that the talks didn’t collapse entirely. The conference, fittingly held in Baku’s Olympic Stadium, was a titanic clash of interests between developed and developing countries. Negotiations dragged into overtime as delegates struggled to reach consensus on key issues like climate finance and fossil fuels.

The 2026 United Nations Water Conference is already drawing high expectations as water experts convened at the COP29 Water for Climate Pavilion for an informal consultation in preparation for the event.

Negotiations have stalled at the COP29 climate talks in Baku, as countries grapple over how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So far, proposals to phase out coal, curb deforestation, and set concrete methane targets have met fierce resistance, threatening progress on mitigation—the cornerstone of efforts to limit global warming to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius.

On Food, Water, and Agriculture Day at COP29, the spotlight at the Water for Climate Pavilion was on “Locally Led Adaptation and Systems Strengthening,” a theme that underscored the urgent need to shift climate action from high-level discussions to community-driven solutions.

We spoke with Michael Kakande, founder of Resilient40, about the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations, the demands from the Global South, and the role the water sector should play in the finance discussions.

José Gesti, Water for Climate Pavilion Envoy on the Global Goal on Adaptation and Senior Climate Advisor at Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) shared insights on the discussions at COP29 and outlined what lies ahead in advancing these critical adaptation efforts.

At COP29 Water for Climate Pavilion, climate experts urged countries to make water a central focus of their national climate plans. They warn that without prioritizing water in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), efforts to address climate change and build resilience could fall short.