COP17 brings water, biodiversity and finance together

How can international cooperation accelerate biodiversity restoration while strengthening water security and climate resilience? From 19 to 30 October 2026, the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17) brought countries together to review global progress towards the 2030 biodiversity targets. 

The Netherlands contributed to the international negotiations with more than 60 sessions and presentations, putting a spotlight on biodiversity finance, water management, nature-based solutions and international partnerships.

Redirecting finance towards nature

A recurring message throughout the programme was clear: protecting biodiversity requires redirecting existing financial flows.

Sessions explored how to make nature-based water solutions more attractive to investors, integrate biodiversity risks into financial decisions and better align existing tools and data. The session 1% of GDP for Biodiversity sparked debate about ambitious financing approaches, including the potential of phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies.

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Photo credits: Partners for Water.

Scaling nature-based solutions through partnerships

International cooperation was another central theme. The session Generating Impact: Scaling Dutch International Partnerships for Nature-Based Solutions showcased collaboration between Dutch and international partners, including examples from West Africa.

The discussions highlighted the importance of local leadership, long-term investment and connecting expertise across sectors to bring proven nature-based approaches to scale.

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Photo credits: Partners for Water.

From COP17 to international water cooperation

A key takeaway from COP17 is that biodiversity and climate cannot be addressed in isolation. They form an interconnected life-support system.

For the international water sector, this means integrating biodiversity considerations from the start of projects, engaging financial institutions early and making better use of existing knowledge and tools.

These lessons will remain relevant as the international community prepares for the 2026 UN Water Conference, taking place on 8–10 December in Abu Dhabi, where integrated approaches and partnerships can help turn ambitions into action.

Want to learn more? Watch the Partners for Water vlog featuring Liliane Geerling for her reflections on COP17, key discussions at the Netherlands Pavilion and what they mean for future international water cooperation.