The climate crisis is a water crisis
As global temperatures continue to rise, people feel the effects of climate change through either too much water – floods, or too little water – droughts. More frequent and extreme flooding pollutes water sources and stops sanitation systems from working properly, while longer droughts dry up clean sources of water such as springs.
Without access to WASH services, communities are more at risk of contracting waterborne diseases like cholera or picking up an infection from a healthcare centre. And, as the ones often responsible for collecting water, doing household chores and caring for family members, women and girls are disproportionately affected when clean water becomes scarcer.
Climate-resilient WASH systems and services can help communities thrive, despite droughts, floods and other extreme weather events.
Delivering the finance needed to ensure people have the tools to adapt to climate change is not aid. It is justice.
In south-west Bangladesh, flood-resistant toilet facilities and underground rainwater harvesting enable communities to thrive despite the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels contaminating water supplies, and cyclones and floods destroying sanitation facilities.
"It is a huge relief that we can preserve rainwater in the plant built in our community space," says Gopal Mondol. "This is lifesaving for our community."
Investment in appropriate technologies can help deliver climate-resilient WASH to communities.
In Ethiopia's Amhara state, solar power is used to pump water to Zewdu Adane's village. Before, people in his village had to walk to collect water, taking precious time out of their day. Now, even in the driest periods, water is pumped to the community and people can spend their time on other activities, like paid work or education.
Listening to the needs of local communities is vital to make sure they can build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
Lydia Byogero helped advise on the construction of a rainwater harvesting tank for her family.
"The tank stores enough rainwater for the entire family, especially during the rainy seasons ... there will be no need to walk for an hour to the borehole to collect water. My children will have enough time to rest or play after school.”
Why was COP29 important for water?
Water rose up the global climate agenda at the UN climate summit in 2023. But despite Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the COP28 President, acknowledging that water is “critical to adaptation”, significant opportunities were missed to fund water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) to ensure people can cope with the impacts of climate change.
Discussions around water and climate change continued at the Bonn Climate Change Conference in June 2024, particularly around the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), but negotiators again failed to speed up action or unlock critically important funding. The inclusion of a thematic target on water and sanitation in the GGA framework was a positive step forward, but we need concrete financial pledges to realise climate-resilient WASH for all.
Announced in September, the COP29 Declaration on Water for Climate Action, was officially approved at COP29. This calls on stakeholders to take integrated approaches to combat the causes and impacts of climate change on water basins and freshwater and related ecosystems, and to integrate water-related mitigation and adaptation measures in national climate policies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The Declaration also launched the Baku Dialogue on Water for Climate Action to improve the coherence between the different Conferences of the Parties on climate change, biodiversity and desertification.
The world could face a 40% shortfall in fresh water by 2030.
The world could face a 40% shortfall in fresh water by 2030.
By 2040, almost one in four children will live in an area of extremely high water stress.
By 2040, almost one in four children will live in an area of extremely high water stress.
Investing in water in low and middle income countries could deliver $500 billion a year in economic benefits.
Investing in water in low and middle income countries could deliver $500 billion a year in economic benefits.
#MyCOPMessage
Following the cancellation of the Regional Climate Weeks, the #MyCOPMessage campaign provided a platform for local climate experts and those on the frontlines of the water and climate crises to share their experiences, solutions and demands to their governments and representatives at COP29.
What did we call for at COP29?
World leaders must take fast, definitive action and provide the finance communities need for climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services. They must also be led by the expertise and demands of those most affected by the climate and water crises.
At COP29, we called for:
- National governments to develop climate adaptation plans that include the WASH needs of communities, particularly in the next round of submissions for Nationally Determined Contributions in 2025, working with local experts, civil society and communities to develop and implement these plans.
- Donor governments and multilateral financial institutions to provide accessible and timely finance for those countries most affected by the climate crisis, so that low-income country governments can implement their climate adaptation plans in full, and support communities to build resilience to climate change.
- Communities to raise their voices and call for action, wherever they live. We encouraged communities most affected by climate change to share their expertise and solutions, and demand clean water, sanitation and hygiene from their governments. And we encouraged people all over the world to urge their governments to prioritise international climate adaptation funding.
Top image: The sun begins to rise as (R-L) Damy, 44, Lohantany, 60, Mahazosoa, 21, Tohanay, 18, and Volasoavinonje, 23, begin their long walk to collect water from the Mandrare river in Madagascar. June 2022.