Water Resilience in Climate Action: Emerging Trends from NDCs and NAPS
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While many national climate plans increasingly recognize the critical role of water in achieving their climate commitments, most do not consider water resources in a systemic way as an enabler of climate resilience.
This paper tracks the evolving role of water resilience in national climate planning instruments, specifically in updated (2025) NDCs and NAPs, in order to inform the development of water-wise climate strategies. It showcases concrete examples of water resilience in existing national climate plans and offers recommendations for better planning and management going forward, with a particular focus on processes and instruments under the UNFCCC.
Strong NDCs and NAPs not only set out ambition but, when well designed, also provide a solid foundation for translating commitments into concrete action on the ground. By mainstreaming water across sectors and setting out clear implementation pathways, they help ensure that national climate goals can move from policy to practice, delivering tangible benefits for communities, economies and ecosystems.