New Global Climate Action Agenda Work Programme, structure to operationalise five-year vision

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The Climate High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action on Thursday, August 6, 2026, launched their annual Work Programme, outlining how governments, businesses, cities, regions, investors and civil society will work together to accelerate climate action over the coming year. 

As the first year under the Global Climate Action Agenda’s new five-year vision, the focus is on turning existing commitments into real-world results for people and communities – from clean air to energy security and beyond. 

The Work Programme builds on the renewed Action Agenda launched at COP30, which shifted the focus from new commitments towards implementing existing ones at greater speed and scale. It strengthens coordination, builds on existing partnerships and helps translate the outcomes of the first Global Stocktake — the UN’s assessment of collective climate progress — into practical action that supports countries’ national climate and adaptation plans. 

Climate High-Level Champions, Dan Ioschpe for COP30 and Samed Ağırbaş for COP31, said: “At the heart of this work is our conviction that the implementation of solutions must reach people on the ground, especially the communities most exposed to the impacts of climate change. We aim to have the agenda framework foster socioeconomic development and are committed to a balanced approach that must be fair, accessible and inclusive.” 

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, said: “The focus of climate action is now firmly on implementation. The Marrakech Partnership Work Programme provides a strong framework for bringing together governments, business, investors, cities, regions and civil society to accelerate climate solutions that support countries in delivering their climate plans. By strengthening collaboration, the Work Programme can turn global ambition into real progress for people, communities and economies.”

The programme brings together hundreds of organisations working across six areas that are critical to people’s lives – from energy, transport and industry to food, nature, water, cities and human development. Together, partners will build on strong recent progress, and work towards 30 shared objectives, advancing 120 practical plans to remove barriers, strengthen collaboration and help proven climate solutions reach more people, more quickly.

Reflecting the priorities of the COP31 Presidency, the Work Programme also places particular emphasis on ten priority areas, including the clean energy transition, food security and zero waste, while building momentum across all sectors and regions. 

When the new Global Climate Action Agenda’s 2026-2030 vision was launched at COP30, it included a request for the secretariat to develop the governance infrastructure to support the delivery of its vision. The Climate High-Level Champions and the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action have now published the Terms of Reference to operationalise the five-year vision. 

The renewed governance structure reflects the Global Climate Action Agenda by introducing Axis Coordination Groups, which help align efforts across the six thematic areas of the Agenda, identify opportunities for collaboration and provide strategic input on priorities. 

Thirty Activation Groups bring together initiatives and partners working on specific climate objectives to catalyse and scale solutions, including through Plans to Accelerate Solutions (PAS), report on collective progress and drive delivery. 

Newly, an Advisory Group of senior leaders is established to provide strategic guidance to the Climate High-Level Champions, alongside Communities of Action, an open platform that enables a wider range of Party representatives, organisations and stakeholders to contribute ideas, expertise and implementation insights. 

Together, these structures constitute the delivery arm of the Global Climate Action Agenda and help strengthen coordination, increase transparency and scale practical climate solutions. 

The launch also marks an important milestone as preparations gather pace for COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye: 10 years since the creation of the Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action at COP22, following the adoption of the Paris Agreement. As the first annual Work Programme under the Action Agenda’s new five-year vision, the Work Programme charts the next phase of that journey. 

The Climate High-Level Champions conclude in their cover note: “If we work together, with coordination and efficiency, the Marrakech Partnership and the Global Climate Action Agenda can drive transformational change for the benefit of people and the planet. We call on all of you to join these efforts to build a prosperous and thriving future together.”