The 21^st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21/CMP11) will be held in Paris, France from 30 November 30 to 11 December 2015.

The conference should lead to a legally binding and universal agreement on climate change, with a framework for the transition to low-carbon societies and economies. The aim is to keep warming at less than 2°C. Another essential goal in Paris is to mobilise USD100 billion a year contributed by states, IGOs and the private sector from 2020 as financial support for developing countries.

The conference is expected to attract close to 40,000 participants including official delegates from government, intergovernmental organisations, UN agencies, NGOs and civil society.

Along with the political negotiations, several side events will be held in France’s capital, some of which are related to water issues. Below are two of these side events:

• Water, Megacities and Global Change, 1-4 December 2015: Hosted by the UNESCO, the conference will bring together a wide range of experts and practitioners to share innovative experiences and discuss the variety of approaches for the management and the role of water in existing and emerging megacities. See the conference website here.

• Sustainable Innovation Forum 2015, 7-8 December 2015: Organised by the UNEP and Climate Action, the SIF2015 convene cross-sector participants from business, Government, finance, UN, NGO and civil society to create an unparalleled opportunity to bolster business innovation and bring scale to the emerging green economy. See the conference website here.

For more on the COP21, see the official website here.