By Abbas Nazil
The United Nations Climate Change High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action have unveiled a new 2026 Work Programme aimed at accelerating the implementation of climate commitments and turning global climate ambitions into practical outcomes for communities, economies and people most exposed to climate change.
The programme brings together governments, businesses, investors, cities and civil society organisations to strengthen cooperation and speed up climate action over the coming year.
The 2026 Work Programme is the first to be released under the Global Climate Action Agenda’s new five-year vision covering 2026 to 2030, which was unveiled at COP30 in Brazil last year.
It places particular emphasis on implementing existing climate commitments rather than simply announcing new ambitions, while supporting countries in delivering their national climate and adaptation plans.
The initiative will also seek to translate the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake, the United Nations assessment of global progress under the Paris Agreement, into practical actions capable of delivering measurable results on the ground.
Climate High-Level Champions Dan Ioschpe, representing COP30, and Samed Ağırbaş, representing COP31, said the programme would prioritise solutions that directly reach communities facing the greatest climate risks.
They stressed that climate action should support socioeconomic development while remaining fair, accessible and inclusive.
The Work Programme will involve hundreds of organisations working across six broad thematic areas covering energy, transport, industry, food, nature, water, cities and human development.
Participants will work towards 30 shared objectives supported by 120 practical implementation plans designed to strengthen cooperation and accelerate delivery.
In line with priorities identified by the COP31 Presidency, particular attention will be given to 10 focus areas, including the clean energy transition, food security and zero waste.
The new framework also introduces governance arrangements intended to improve coordination and accountability across the Global Climate Action Agenda during the next five years.
These arrangements include Axis Coordination Groups designed to strengthen collaboration across the thematic areas and 30 Activation Groups tasked with coordinating action around specific climate objectives.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell said the focus of global climate action had shifted firmly towards implementation.
He said the Marrakech Partnership Work Programme would provide a framework for governments, businesses, investors, cities, regions and civil society to work together in accelerating climate solutions and helping countries deliver their climate plans.
The programme comes as governments and non-state actors face growing pressure to convert international climate pledges into tangible progress on emissions reduction, adaptation, resilience and sustainable development.
The organisers said stronger collaboration between the public and private sectors would be critical to achieving this objective, particularly as countries seek to implement their national climate commitments while addressing social and economic development needs.
COP31 is scheduled to take place in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026.
The conference will also mark 10 years since the establishment of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action following the adoption of the Paris Agreement, providing an opportunity to assess the partnership’s progress and reinforce efforts to move from climate commitments to implementation.
