Water resilience, ecosystem restoration and global leadership
On 18 June 2026, IUCN - in collaboration with the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences - will gather diplomats, policymakers, academia, NGOs, youth, and the private sector to discuss the importance of a coherent water agenda, at the EU and international level.
The global water cycle is under accelerating strain. Climate change, ecosystem degradation, over-extraction and pollution are destabilising freshwater systems worldwide, with cascading impacts on biodiversity, food production, energy security, public health and regional stability.
Unlike climate and biodiversity, there is no comprehensive multilateral architecture dedicated to water, even though it is the primary medium through which both crises manifest.
The United Nations Water Conference to be held in December 2026 in the United Arab Emirates represents a rare political opportunity to address this gap. Preparatory discussions have revealed growing support among Member States for strengthening global water governance and for exploring the establishment of an intergovernmental process that could lead to a Global Framework for Water Governance and Action. The Conference is therefore not only an implementation milestone, but a structural moment for the international water agenda. Importantly, 2026 will be a year with the three Conference of the Parties of the Rio Convention, an occasion to highlight how water is truly a transversal topic.
Within Europe, water resilience has moved to the centre of political debate through the Water Resilience Strategy. The EU has framed water resilience within the broader context of security, preparedness and strategic autonomy. This framing reflects a deeper reality: water is no longer a sectoral environmental issue but a systemic risk multiplier for economies and societies, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions such as the Mediterranean.
The event would take place a week before the EU Environment Council and would serve as a bridge between the European water resilience agenda and the emerging global debate on water governance and cooperation.
The forum will discuss three themes:
- Women leadership in water diplomacy, highlighting the synergies between the Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender equality) and 6 (Water and sanitation).
- The importance of a coordinated water agenda across the Rio Conventions, the UN Water Conference 2026 and the EU Water Resilience Strategy.
- Water resilience and ecosystem restoration as pillars of Europe’s strategic leadership, autonomy and competitiveness.
Register to attend here.