It’s another triple-COP year: that means the United Nations will be hosting global conferences on climate, biodiversity and land in 2026.
But there’s much more happening beyond closed-door meetings – and many more opportunities for you to grow your network at environmental and climate events throughout the year.
So here’s our list of the most important climate events in 2026, covering everything from rangelands to forest management to sustainable development.
Organizing an event? Get in touch to be featured on this list!
When: 6–7 May 2026
Where: Nairobi, Kenya, and online
Tickets: Available now!
Did you know that rangelands support 60 percent of the world’s food production?
They also cover 54 percent of the Earth’s land area and sustain the livelihoods of 1.2 billion people.
And if you’ve ever been hiking or camping, you know how crucial they are for tourism and conservation.
Despite their importance, you may not have even heard of these landscapes. In short, they’re lands that are grazed by livestock or wildlife and mainly stewarded by pastoralists.
And now is the time to talk about them, because half of the world’s rangelands are under threat from the climate crisis, conflict, mismanagement and underinvestment – putting these pastoral livelihoods at risk.
The UN has declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists – which is why GLF Africa will return with a special edition to put these often forgotten landscapes and communities on the map.
When: 27 January 2026
Where: UN Headquarters, New York, NY, United States
The 2026 Partnership Forum of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will take place under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all”.
The Forum will place a special emphasis on the following Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), Goal 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
When: 25–27 February 2026
Where: New Delhi, India
The World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) is the annual flagship multistakeholder convening organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
As the only independently convened international summit on sustainable development and the environment based in the Global South, WSDS strives to provide long-term solutions for the benefit of global communities by assembling the world’s most enlightened leaders and thinkers on a single platform.
The 2026 edition of the World Sustainable Development Summit (WSDS) will focus on the umbrella theme “Transformations: Vision, Voices, and Values for Sustainable Development.“
When: 4–5 March 2026
Where: Montreal, Canada
The 13th annual World Ocean Summit comes at a turning point: the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty (BBNJ) has been ratified, the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement is going to reshape seafood supply chains, and new science warns we have breached the planetary boundary on ocean acidification.
At the same time, major philanthropic and financial investments are flowing into the ocean economy. The question is no longer why act, but how.
This summit will translate these global milestones into action for business, policy and finance. Topics will include: biodiversity, nature-based solutions, aquaculture, fishing, marine renewable energy, tourism, plastics, marine protected areas, blue finance, innovation and data and shipping.
When: 23–27 March 2026
Where: Valencia, Spain
The second edition of the EFI Mediterranean Network Forum renews collaboration and invites new participation in EFIMED’s network connecting forest researchers, policymakers, and practitioners across the Mediterranean.
When: 23–29 March 2026
Where: Campo Grande, Brazil
The government of Brazil will host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS COP15).
When: 14–16 April 2026
Where: UN Headquarters, New York, NY, United States
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum provides a platform for young people to engage in a dialogue with Member States and other stakeholders to share their views and concerns, as well as galvanize actions and recommendations to transform the world into a fairer, greener and more sustainable place.
Stay tuned for further details.
When: 28–29 April 2026
Where: Santa Marta, Colombia
Co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, this conference aims to advance international cooperation on transitioning away from fossil fuel extraction.
It will serve as a strategic space for dialogue among a broad range of stakeholders – including government representatives, experts, rural and Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant communities, civil society, climate advocates, industry leaders, and academia – to explore viable, fair, and equitable pathways for transitioning to sustainable, diversified and accessible energy.
When: 17–22 May 2026
Where: Baku, Azerbaijan
The theme of WUF13, ‘Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities,‘ will shine a global spotlight on the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and position housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient and sustainable urban development.
As climate risks deepen and inequalities widen, WUF13 will explore how housing can advance inclusion, equity and resilience, highlighting practical solutions that connect homes to broader urban systems, including integrated planning, climate adaptation, land and tenure security, inclusive governance and locally driven action.
When: 8–18 June 2026
Where: Bonn, Germany
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is set to host the 64th sessions of its subsidiary bodies (SB64) at its headquarters in Bonn, Germany. Stay tuned for more details.
When: 10–12 June 2026
Where: Copenhagen, Denmark
Future Days is a festival for futures and systemic thinkers, innovation seekers, creatives, purpose-driven organizations and policymakers to collectively create the futures of urban lives, equitable societies through and beyond technology.
The 2026 edition is titled ‘Currents of Tomorrow’ and will look at the many streams of futures that move and interact, reflecting on the undercurrents shaping design, society and governance.
When: 24–26 June 2026
Where: Oslo, Norway
The theme of the AIDA World Water Law Congress is ‘Water Law and Governance in Times of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss.‘
Our freshwater and coastal ecosystems are under significant pressure from climate change and biodiversity loss. The AIDA Congress aims to shed light on existing barriers and opportunities for coherent and integrated freshwater and coastal management.
It will explore technical, social, financial, institutional and regulatory innovations to overcome identified barriers, enabling the transformative transition to a future-proof system of water law and governance.
When: 29–30 June 2026
Where: Hamburg, Germany
We need a new era of sustainability, new alliances with business leaders, global policymakers and society.
Halfway from the adoption of the SDGs in 2015 on the path to 2030, the Hamburg Sustainability Conference is establishing a new global platform to speed up the implementation of the SDGs and deliver result-oriented solutions.
When: 6–15 July 2026
Where: UN Headquarters, New York, NY, United States
The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
The 2026 theme will be “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.”
When: 7–10 July 2026
Where: Geneva, Switzerland
AI for Good is the United Nations’ leading platform on artificial intelligence, established by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Its mission is to unlock AI’s potential to serve humanity through building skills, AI standards and advancing partnerships.
This year’s Global Summit will be organized by ITU in partnership with over 50 UN agencies and co-convened with the government of Switzerland, focusing on the following themes: AI standards for a better future, AI skills for everyone and AI governance.
When: 27 July–1 August 2026
Where: Nairobi, Kenya
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will hold the 28th meeting of its Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) with the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
Topics to be discussed will include the implementation and monitoring of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the work program of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), synthetic biology, sustainable wildlife management and marine and coastal biodiversity.
When: 17–28 August 2026
Where: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
The UNCCD COP17 will bring together the 197 Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) to accelerate action against desertification, land degradation and drought.
As one of the most affected countries by desertification, with nearly 77 percent of its land degraded, Mongolia will leverage COP17 to drive solutions for land restoration, sustainable land management and resilience-building across the world.
Stay tuned for our coverage of UNCCD COP17 here on ThinkLandscape.
When: 9–10 September 2026
Where: Rome, Italy
The European Center of Sustainable Development (ECSDEV), in collaboration with CIT University, is organizing ICSD 2026 under the theme “Creating a Unified Foundation for Sustainable Development: Research, Practice and Education”
The conference will address environmental, economic and socio-cultural sustainability, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and research-based solutions to global challenges and the efficient use of resources.
When: 4–8 October 2026
Where: Glasgow, Scotland
The IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition is the leading global event for water and allied professionals, covering the full water cycle.
From the core basic needs of water supply and sanitation through to coordinated efforts at basin, national and regional level, action on water sustains human wellbeing, environmental health, and economic development. It underpins both resilience and prosperity.
The 2026 edition will provide a showcase for sharing and advancing real-world innovation and options to deliver that action. This will include use of nature-based solutions one of the rapidly areas in which the water sector is evolving.
When: 12–17 October 2026
Where: Marseille, France
The 26th International Congress of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) will focus on the theme ‘Water and agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.’
Organized by Eau, Agriculture et Territoires, the Congress will bring together stakeholders from across the globe – researchers, engineers, institutions, public decision makers, NGOs, and civil society representatives – to share knowledge, innovations, and experiences on the core challenges of irrigation and drainage.
When: 19–30 October 2026
Where: Yerevan, Armenia
Not to be confused with the UNCCD conference, this event will be the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It will also include meetings of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol.
Stay tuned for our coverage of the Biodiversity COP17 here on ThinkLandscape.
When: 9–20 November 2026
Where: Antalya, Turkey
The largest climate event of 2026 will be hosted by Turkey in the resort city of Antalya, with Australia leading the negotiations as part of an agreement between the two countries. There will also be a ‘pre-COP’ held in a Pacific island country, though the dates and host country have yet to be confirmed.
COP31 will build on the deal agreed at COP30 in 2025, which included a tripling of adaptation finance and a just transition mechanism, as well as “roadmaps” to transition away from fossil fuels and to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
Stay tuned for our coverage of COP31 here on ThinkLandscape.
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