Side event details

SUMMARY
This event will showcase practical, policy and financial approaches to harnessing the power of wetlands to meet climate mitigation and adaptation goals, whilst exploring safeguards to avoid negative impacts of climate action on wetlands. It will position wetland conservation and restoration as critical climate solutions to be prioritised in UNFCCC COP30 preparations and outcomes and at national level.

CONTEXT
Wetlands are not only on the frontlines of the climate crisis; they are powerful climate solutions for mitigation and adaptation. For example, peatlands store approximately twice the amount of carbon of all the world’s forest biomass combined, and seagrass meadows are up to 40 times more efficient at capturing carbon than land forests, whilst the loss and degradation of wetlands releases stored carbon. Mangroves and other coastal wetlands safeguard shorelines against storms; peatlands act like sponges, regulating the flow of water and reducing impacts of droughts and floods; and just one acre of wetland can store up to 1.5 million gallons of floodwater.

A growing number of countries are incorporating wetlands such as peatlands and mangroves into their NDCs and NAPs. However, the vast potential for wetlands to contribute to climate action remains untapped at global and national level. The inclusion of wetlands in NDCs and NAPs is also critical for unlocking finance for wetland restoration, conservation and management.

OUTCOMES
1. Enhanced understanding of wetland conservation and restoration as essential element of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies; and awareness of the need for safeguards to minimise negative impacts of climate action on wetlands
2. Sharing of case studies of wetlands in NDCs, NAPs and other climate policy
3. Identification of opportunities for mobilising climate finance for wetlands
4. Awareness and uptake of tools, guidance, recommendations, best practices
5. Positioning wetlands as powerful climate solutions and critical connector of Rio Conventions ahead of UNFCCC COP30

RELEVANCE TO COP15 DISCUSSIONS
Strategic Plan 5 recognises climate change as a main driver of wetland degradation and loss and includes actions in Target 1.2.
This event supports implementation of DR 23.4 (Enhancing the Convention’s visibility and synergies with other multilateral environmental agreements) and previous resolutions including: XIV.17 (The protection, conservation, restoration, sustainable use and management of wetland ecosystems in addressing climate change); XIII.13 (Restoration of degraded peatlands to mitigate and adapt to climate change and enhance biodiversity and disaster risk reduction); XIII.14 (Promoting conservation, restoration and sustainable management of coastal blue-carbon ecosystems).

DRAFT PROGRAMME
Introduction to role of wetlands in climate mitigation, adaptation and resilience; importance of minimising negative and fostering positive impacts of climate action on wetlands (5 minutes)
Country case studies: integration of wetlands into NDCs and NAPs; strengthening links between biodiversity and climate action; mobilising climate finance for wetlands (20 minutes)
Guidance, recommendations, tools, best practice, key initiatives (10 minutes)
Discussion (20 minutes)
Looking ahead to UNFCCC COP30 (5 minutes)
Conclusions and close (5 minutes)

SPEAKERS
Senior experts and practitioners from governments, NGOs, funders and others - see partner list.