Policy and Advocacy
Julian Fisher
10. June 2026
Wednesday 10th June, Bonn; high-level session this morning with a series of short presentations setting the scene and outlining the main areas of dialogue ahead of the key side events on Friday 12th June.Â
Youth were actively engaged in the session this morning, drawing attention for the need for meaningful engagement of Youth in the mountain and climate policy discourse.Â
This reinforces FAO / Mountain Partnership / ZWDP Children’s Call to Action to protect mountain areas from the impact of climate change (2021) calls upon governments to; Promote traditional and indigenous knowledge and innovative practices for the sustainable management of natural resources in mountains.
ZWDP will be covering the mountain sessions during SB64 in Bonn.Â
Read post on the session < here>Â
Next 2 mountain sessions will be held of Friday 12th June.Â
ZWDP launched its water walk sign < see image on left > on International Mother Earth Day (Wednesday 22nd April, 2026).
The ying – yang design symbolises the shift from the 3 dimensions of sustainable development to the 5 actions areas of critical importance to humanity and the planet.
The ZWDP water walk logo takes SDG 6 (Water) and SDG 17 (Partnerships) as its symbol.
Each water point data point will have different goals to represent i. humanity, and ii. the planet. The 2 goals would represent the key themes of that particular water walk data point. Each data point will have 2 aspects; i. quantitative (science) and ii. qualitative (stories).
ZWDP will use the idea of landart to create a water walk symbol so that the walk waters are inclusive and and created not to be permanent ie different landart to reflect changing seasons.
ZWDP is planning to be onsite and live for the COP31 Climate Conference in Turkey this November. COP31 priorities include ‘Youth and Education’ and ‘Food Security’ which are ZWDP key policy areas. We will be posting details of the location and draft programme next week.
Major ZWDP will be Children, Youth and Education to showcase implementation of United Nations 2025 Report on Sustainable Mountain Development features ZWDP ‘Saving the World’s Water Towers campaign; “The Zero Water Day Partnership promotes inclusive education to deepen understanding of mountain challenges and responsibilities. Its Saving the Water Towers of the World campaign is aimed at integrating this approach into national education policies“
Zero Water Day Partnership provided valuable input for the 2025 FAO Mountain Partnership Secretariat publication <Glaciers and Mountains – the Food, Water,Security and Livelihoods Nexus> Policy recommendations to strengthen food and water security in mountains
and downstream. The recommendations included i. enhance data and monitoring which connects to the role of Mountain Guides in research, see Chamonix Guides Bureau ‘Mountain Guides and Climate Change; A Story of Adaption), and ii. promoting the participation of stakeholders, including
women, youth, local communities and Indigenous Peoples which links to the Water Partnership Ambassadors Programme and ZWDP work on One Health education in Zimbabwe for Traditional Medicines, see WHO draft Strategy.
ZWDP at the base of the Bosson’s Glacier in Chamonix, French Alps in 2025. to develop a mobile planetary health weather station as part of Ice to Ice Expeditions in support of the UN Decade Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences (2025–2034) with a focus on its 2nd Goal; Raise awareness; Educate the public and policymakers about why the cryosphere matters for ecosystems, weather, and communities worldwide.
Mountains are the water towers of the world, yet everyone’s daily decisions and actions are contributing to the accelerating ice loss of glaciers and polar regions. The loss of the planet’s freshwater sources presents a global Zero Water Day for Humanity. Global citizenship education can help connect the UN Decade Decade of Action for Cryospheric Sciences and its research questions / agenda (Goal 1) with school science curricula and citizen science efforts that seek to safeguard community land and water ecosystems. The World Meteorological Organisation youth engagement and forthcoming Youth Action Plan aims to strengthen youth participation in decision-making, capacity development and scientific innovation.
This follows the ZWDP official virtual side event at 2023 UN Water Conference ‘The Voice of Children and Youth on Water for Sustainable Development; Taking Action for Humanity and the Planet‘ and continues to implement the Children’s Call to Action to protect mountain areas from the impact of climate change launched at COP 26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in 2021, see recordings of the session ‘Transforming our World: Children’s Voice for 2025‘
The Zero Water Day Partnership is an accredited non-governmental organisation for the UN Water Conference in Dubai in December 2026. We are planning a satellite conference where our partners schools can actively and meaningfully participate and present their projects and deliver key advocacy for Action on Water for Sustainability.Â
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More InformationOur Oceans, Our Future has been produced by students of Strathallan School in Scotland “the greatest threat to our planet is thinking that someone else will save it”.Â
This video features Xavier Calihol a mountain guide based in the town of Chamonix in the Mont Blanc Massif, French Alps talking about the impact of climate change on mountains from the perspective of a young guide and also his research.Â
2025 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report Mountains and Glaciers: Water Towers
ZWDP is a member of the Planetary Health Alliance, read more about our collaborationÂ
ZWDP is collaborating with UNESCO Alpine world Heritage Centre Swiss Alps «natural and culture heritage for sustainable mountain development»Â
ZWDP is collaborating with the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations on the development of the Sustainable Mountain Guiding syllabusÂ
Zero Water Day Partnership is a member of the Global Network in Health in All Polices (GNHIAP) Executive Committee  (see GNHIAP page for more information).Â
Our Black and White Photo Stories will feature reportage around the theme water.
Click to view March 2025 BW photo-story  Â
Colour photo-stories cover all aspects of ZWDP work
Click to view May 2025 photo storyÂ
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