Water for Climate Actions

GCF promotes innovative financing that leverages public and private investments to mobilise resources for water security. This includes not just grants and loans, but also equity investments, insurance, and guarantees. Aligning water security investments with climate action can create new financing opportunities, including new revenue streams and financing from climate-focused investors and public climate budgets/facilities. GCF also sees the potential for water as a mitigation tool. Although most climate finance goes to mitigation projects, the mitigation potential of water remains largely neglected (e.g., wetland restoration and conservation). This presents an opportunity to scale up efforts and align financing flows (e.g., biodiversity, water management, carbon credits). Additionally, GCF promotes sustainable water management practices that conserve resources and protect ecosystems. It supports projects that enhance community adaptive capacity, particularly for those most vulnerable to climate change. GCF's strategic approach to water security goes beyond simple integrated water management, and involves innovative financing, sustainable practices, viewing water as an asset class, supporting community resilience, and aligning with climate action. In order to meet 2030 targets related to climate, sustainable development, and disaster risk reduction, we must: Increase investment in weather, water, ocean, and climate sciences to address the challenges posed by climate change and risk informed early warning system. Harness private finance and explore non-traditional financial instruments like equity investments, insurance, debt-swap and guarantees. Align investments for water security with climate action to create new financing opportunities for private sector linking to public sector or SMEs. Recognise the potential of water as a tool for mitigating climate change and scale up efforts accordingly. Promote sustainable water management practices that conserve water resources and protect ecosystems. Support projects that enhance the adaptive capacity of communities most vulnerable to climate change.
Leading Entity
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
Contributing Action Number
CA1.44
Primary Entry Point
1: Lead and inspire collective action
Additional Entry Point(s)
1: Lead and inspire collective action
Output(s)
Output 1.1: Water and sanitation issues are a strategic leadership priority for the UN System
Output 1.2: Action is inspired by compelling and unified UN system communications and messaging on water
Output 2.1: Expertise and resources are fully leveraged by the UN system to support countries, with emphasis on the water and sanitation needs of developing countries
Output 2.2: Diverse stakeholders and partnerships are mobilized by the UN system to support countries’ progress on water and sanitation
Output 3.1: Operational and financial strategies, policies and approaches of the UN system are aligned to harness complementarity
Output 3.2: Integrated policy frameworks to manage water and sanitation across sectors are supported by the UN system using latest data and evidence
Output 3.3: Mainstreaming of water and sanitation-related issues into Member States-led intergovernmental processes is supported by the UN system
Output 4.1: Financing strategies, frameworks and plans for investing in water and sanitation across sectors are prepared and implemented with UN system support, with particular emphasis on the financing needs of developing countries
Output 4.2: High-quality, disaggregated water and sanitation data and information are available and shared transparently through strengthened national and sub-national monitoring systems and regional and global platforms with support from the UN system
Output 4.3: Institutional and human resources capacity development support that responds to national needs and priorities is provided by the UN system, contributing to a skilled water and sanitation workforce
Output 4.4: Enabling environments for water and sanitation innovation are supported by the UN system, including policies, partnerships, and transfer of technology to remove barriers, with emphasis on technology transfer needs of developing countries
Output 4.5: Governance of water and sanitation is improved through UN system support, including with emphasis on the needs of developing countries
Output 5.1: Progress on the implementation of the SWS is reviewed jointly by the UN system at technical and leadership levels
Output 5.2: Progress on water-related goals and targets are reviewed through joint learning and exchange among all actors with support from the UN system
SDG 6 Target(s)
Cross-cutting work on SDG 6
SDG target 6.1: Achieve safe and affordable drinking water
SDG target 6.2: Achieve access to sanitation and hygiene and end open defecation
SDG target 6.3: Improve water quality, wastewater and safe reuse
SDG target 6.4: Increase water-use efficiency and ensure freshwater supplies
SDG target 6.5: Implement integrated water resources management (IWRM)
SDG target 6.6: Protect and restore water-related ecosystems
SDG target 6.A: Expand international cooperation and capacity-building
SDG target 6.B: Support stakeholder participation
SDG target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory lews, policies, and practices and promoting approprate legislation, policies and action in this regard
SDG target 11.5: Reduce number of deaths, people affected and economic losses caused by disasters, including water-related disasters
Water-related work on other SDGs
Type of Engagement
Data collection and analysis
Implementation (e.g. direct support and service delivery, pilot or larger scale)
Capacity development and technical assistance
Policy advice and thought leadership
Geographical Scope
Global level
Regional, transboundary and sub-regional (multi-country) level
Country-level (national, subnational and local)
Estimated Annual Budget
Above 1 billion USD
More Information
https://www.greenclimate.fund/insights/running-dry-racing-against-time-secure-our-water-future

Leading Entity

United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation

The Contributing Actions are key initiatives supporting the United Nations System-wide Strategy for Water and Sanitation, aligning individual and joint efforts across UN entities and partnering organizations to advance global water and sanitation goals. These actions are integrated into the Collaborative Implementation Plan (CIP) Results Framework 2025-2028, which provides a structured approach to achieving system-wide impact through coordinated UN efforts.
The Priority Collaborative Actions outlined in the framework focus on enhancing water security, improving governance, strengthening climate resilience, and accelerating progress on sanitation and hygiene. By fostering system-wide collaboration among UN agencies, these actions help drive policy coherence, knowledge sharing, and innovative solutions to address the world’s most pressing water challenges.