IWMI director general Mark Smith delivers the Head of Delegation statement to the COP28 Plenary on December 9, 2023, during the High-Level Segment for Observers.
Smith highlighted the inextricable link between water, food and climate. “Everyone gathered here at COP wants to create […] a safe, just and sustainable world. And by building water-resilient food systems we can do precisely that: take care of our planet — while making sure people thrive. This is how we help economies withstand a future of intensifying water shocks — and also protect our precious water resources.” Smith urged COP28 delegates to put water and food at the center of climate plans, strategies and finance.