Overcoming challenges in national-local coordination for resilient systems

This panel explores best practices in accelerating water resilience through stronger coordination between national and local actors. Drawing on experiences from around the world, the session will highlight solutions that enable cities, basins, and communities to translate national priorities into locally led, people-centered action.

Achieving resilience requires overcoming many obstacles, whether risk-related, relational, geographic or geopolitical, just to name a few. The need to coordinate action across governance levels, sectors, and stakeholders renders the task even more complicated. Gaps between national policies and local implementation often limit the effectiveness and inclusiveness of water and climate investments.

This was a joint session with AGWA and GIZ at Stockholm World Water Week 2026.