Nov 4 2022Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.
At the beginning of 2022, an IPCC report discovered that most of all adaptation actions (alters that humans will require to make in reaction to climate change) are water-related.
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A new global collaboration, headed by the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), targets to guarantee every country is ready for water security problems like floods and droughts as the climate shifts.
Gathering at COP27 in Egypt, the collaboration will encourage the so-called “water resilience”—guaranteeing water-related policies, plans, and investments can deal with climate impacts so that countries can adapt and prosper in the face of climate change.
The COP27 event will start phase two of the Water Tracker for National Climate Planning tool, which supports countries in evaluating and improve water resilience in their national climate plans.
The event has been hosted by AGWA, Arup, Deltares, the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), and the Walker Institute at the University of Reading.
We already see increased risks to water security caused by climate change.
Richard Betts, MBE, Professor, University of Exeter
Betts is the Met Office and a Lead Author on the IPCC Water chapter.
Climate change is causing more extreme weather, and we are seeing more droughts in many parts of the world and heavy rain leading to floods. The impacts of this are not just about climate; it's also about how people and societies respond—what we do with water, how much we need, and how we manage it.
Richard Betts, MBE, Professor, University of Exeter
Betts added, “Disadvantaged people around the world are most at risk from our growing water security issues. We are all entitled to clean, fresh water, and we need to plan ahead to ensure access for everyone as the climate changes.”
John Matthews, Executive Director at the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, adds: “Right now, most of us are responding to news about climate change with fear: how do brace for negative impacts like extreme floods and droughts?”
“Clearly, we need to prepare, but we also need to think about what thriving looks like with climate change.”
“Water resilience is about being proactive and forward-thinking—not just how can we get ready for worse impacts, but how can we enable prosperous and healthy economies, ecosystems, and societies, even as the climate continues to change?”
Speakers at the COP27 event on Saturday, November 12th, from 16:45-18:15 Eastern European Time (GMT +2) include:
- Lord Zac Goldsmith, UK Minister of State for Asia, Energy, Climate, and Environment
- Dr. Hani Sewilam, Egypt’s Minister of Water Resources & Irrigation
- Professor Rosalind Cornforth, Walker Institute, University of Reading
- Professor Richard Betts, University of Exeter and UK Met Office
- Ms. Sarita Dawadi, Joint Secretary, Water Resources Research and Development Center (WRRDC), Nepal
- Ms. Ibtisam Abuhaija, Director of Climate Change and Drought Management, Ministry of Agriculture
Representatives from countries and financial institutions on the topic of: “Water resilience as the key to effective climate action” will be featured in a panel discussion.
The event will offer an overview of climate risks to water security, such as floods, drought, and human vulnerability, and illustrate how the Water Tracker tool fulfills these problems.
Also, it will display instances of climate-resilient water management from Water Tracker pilot countries like Egypt, Palestine, and Nepal.
In Palestine, the Water Tracker has aided decision-makers in evaluating the water requirements of their climate plans and determining methods to turn out to be more durable. These include compliant operational rules and tracking for water use under climate doubt—as well as the tracking of climate investments and enhancing accountability in using climate finance.
The Water Tracker has been a fantastic tool in helping us see how water is included in these policies, and what we can do to better manage it and increase water resilience through all sectors with regards to climate change in the future.
Ms. Salam Abu Hantash, Palestinian Water Authority
Source: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/