The UN Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action have unveiled their 2026 Work Programme, which outlines how governments, businesses, investors, cities and civil society can ‘work together to accelerate climate action over the coming year’.
The latest Work Programme is the first to be published under the Global Climate Action Agenda’s new five-year vision for 2026-2030, unveiled at COP30 in Brazil last year. It will focus on accelerating the delivery of climate commitments already made, and translating them into practical outcomes for people and communities.
It will also seek to strengthen collaboration between public and private sector organisations, as well as supporting countries’ national climate and adaptation plans, translating the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake – the UN’s assessment of collective climate progress – into practical actions, the UN said.
‘Fair, accessible and inclusive’
“At the heart of this work is our conviction that the implementation of solutions must reach people on the ground, especially the communities most exposed to the impacts of climate change,” commented Climate High-Level Champions Dan Ioschpe for COP30 and Samed Ağırbaş for COP31.
“We aim to have the agenda framework foster socioeconomic development and are committed to a balanced approach that must be fair, accessible and inclusive.”
The Work Programme will bring together hundreds of organisations working across six thematic areas – energy, transport, industry, food, nature, water, cities and human development – with participants working towards 30 shared objectives supported by 120 practical implementation plans.
Reflecting the priorities of the COP 31 Presidency, particular focus will be given to ten focus areas including the clean energy transition, food security and zero waste.
Alongside the work programme, the Climate High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership have published new governance arrangements to support delivery of the Global Climate Action Agenda over the next five years. This includes the introduction of Axis Coordination Groups to improve collaboration across the agenda’s six thematic areas, as well as 30 Activation Groups to coordinate work on specific climate objectives.
‘Focus on implementation’
“The focus of climate action is now firmly on implementation,” commented Simon Stiell, UN Climate Change executive secretary. “The Marrakech Partnership Work Programme provides a strong framework for bringing together governments, business, investors, cities, regions and civil society to accelerate climate solutions that support countries in delivering their climate plans.
“By strengthening collaboration, the Work Programme can turn global ambition into real progress for people, communities and economies.”
COP31, which will be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November, marks ten years since the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action was established following the adoption of the Paris Agreement. Read more here.
