Climate change is an existential threat.  In the lead up to COP26, commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergencies has never been greater. There is a need for urgent action, across all sectors, to decarbonise – while at the same time strengthening resilience and adapting to the changing climate.

Sediment managers – scientists and researchers, water managers, port and waterway operators, flood protection managers and similar, as well as those in the dredging and construction sector – all have an important role to play.

Sediments are an integral part of aquatic systems, the building block for natural habitats and an inherent component of many ecosystem services.  Sediments and their associated aquatic habitats – blue carbon stocks – also play a vital role in sequestering and storing carbon.

An outcome of the virtual workshop ‘Sediment management opportunities to address the climate change challenge’ hosted by Navigating a Changing Climate and SedNet is an ambitious but realistic – and very necessary – COP26 Sediment Management and Climate Change Pledge.

SedNet and the NavClimate partners ask organisations that recognise the importance of these issues and the need to work with these critical, inter-related natural processes, to endorse the pledge, and to work with us to identify and deliver solutions that benefit not only climate and nature, but also society and economy.

Many organisations are already (in the process of) endorsing this pledge. If your organisation is committed too and wish to have their logo added to the COP26 Pledge, please contact the SedNet Secretariat, confirming your endorsement of the Pledge and providing:

• Your organisation’s name and logo
• The name and position of the person making this pledge
• Your contact details if different from the above 

The COP26 Pledge has been launched on 8 November 2021 during COP26. See the Press Release.