World Water Week 2025 opened Monday in Stockholm and online with a call to put water at the center of global climate action, as policymakers, scientists, and civil society leaders warned that droughts, floods and failed harvests highlight the urgency of integrating water into climate strategies.

The annual conference, organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute, is being held under the theme “Water for Climate Action” and will run throughout the week, featuring hundreds of sessions and events aimed at accelerating solutions to the climate crisis.

Water in Global Climate Talks

Water has often been overlooked in international climate negotiations, despite its crucial role in every sector and ecosystem.

Organizers said that this is beginning to change following agreements at UN climate change conferences in Dubai and Baku, which acknowledged the role of water in both climate mitigation and adaptation.

“The climate crisis is a water crisis,” SIWI Executive Director Helena Thybell said in her opening remarks. “We see it in drying rivers and flooded cities, in failed harvests and forced migration. But in water, we also find the solutions.”

The meeting comes ahead of the UN climate change conference in Brazil, also known as COP30, where governments are expected to deepen commitments made under the Paris Agreement. Advocates hope water will be integrated into those discussions.

A Week of Dialogue and Leadership

One of the highlights of the week will be a high-level panel on Aug. 26, “Water’s Pathway in Global Processes,” where government leaders, UN officials, and representatives from science and civil society will debate how water can shape global agendas from COP30 to the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Other events include the Stockholm Water Prize ceremony, an Indigenous Peoples focus program, and the first UN World Lake Day Sunrise Swim.

Marking 35 Years of Water Action

World Water Week marks its 35th edition this year. Launched in 1991 as a local celebration of clean water, it has evolved into the leading global conference on water issues, co-created in collaboration with over 500 partner organizations.

The event attracts thousands of participants from around the world and various sectors, providing, as organizers describe it, a safe space to share knowledge and develop solutions.

Sessions take place at the Stockholm Waterfront Congress Centre and are also streamed online for free.