Water4Future

Unlocking water for a climate-resilient future

The Water4Future (W4F) programme was launched by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in 2024 and is designed to strengthen the capacities of developing countries to implement integrated solutions for climate adaptation and resilience, positioning water as a key resource. The approach seeks to improve water security and climate resilience through innovative approaches that articulate evidence-based climate risk analysis, digital tools, and financing strategies.

The approach promotes modular processes that systematically link water and climate, with the aim of facilitating access to climate finance and scaling-up effective solutions internationally. In addition to strengthening the national response to climate change, the approach contributes to the implementation of the Paris Agreement, the Global Goal on Adaptation, and the German Federal Government’s climate foreign policy.

The W4F programme works by supporting countries in 4 strategic areas: 

First, it works with partner countries to analyze existing national climate strategies, including NDCs and NAPs, and to develop national action plans aimed at strengthening the resilience of the water sector. These plans are based on high-quality climate risk analyses and participatory assessments, which allow for the identification and prioritization of concrete water-related adaptation measures. Water needs across different sectors are also analyzed to help countries assess tradeoffs and improve their climate strategies over time.

The second area of action focuses on financial planning. Based on investment needs analyses, countries develop or update financing plans to implement water adaptation measures. This process seeks to generate integrated and viable solutions by connecting project portfolios with public, private, and international financing sources.

Third, W4F promotes the development of digital tools that facilitate decision-making and the systematic evaluation of implemented measures. These tools organize the knowledge generated by promoting cross-country learning, and facilitating the scalability of successful solutions, in coordination with global networks and strategic partners.

Finally, international advocacy is strengthened by positioning water as a key resource for climate change adaptation. Through collaborative work with knowledge networks and participation in international fora, exchanges between pilot countries, sectoral actors, and financial institutions are facilitated, promoting new partnerships and opportunities for large- scale implementation.

AGWA joined the W4F initiative in 2025 as an implementing partner in two pilot countries: Colombia and Tanzania. Using AGWA’s Water Resilience Tracker methodology, AGWA staff and consultants are working with GIZ staff, consultants, and partners in-country to support all four components of the W4F delivery, with an emphasis on the development of national action plans aimed at strengthening the resilience of the water sector.

To learn more about the Water4Future programme, please visit the GIZ website or contact Ingrid Timboe.