Effective WASH sector adaptation to climate change through improved governance

Stef Smits; Charles Batchelor; Ton Schouten; Patrick Moriarty; John Butterworth

doi:10.3362/1756-3488.2009.023

Effective WASH sector adaptation to climate change through improved governance

Stef Smits | Charles Batchelor | Ton Schouten | Patrick Moriarty | John Butterworth

Over the past year, discussions have being going on within the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector on the possible implications of climate change on services provisions, and the practical adaptation measures that could or should be taken by the sector. Although not conclusive, two important points of agreement have emerged as a result of these discussions. First, climate change predictions are characterized by high levels of uncertainty, particularly at the spatial scales at which most decisions on WASH services provision are made. Second, while it should be taken very seriously, climate change is not the only, and probably not the most important, factor to consider in the short and medium term. This paper argues that the most effective approach to adaptation is to strengthen governance of the WASH sector, for example by adopting principles of adaptive management and by using tools such as scenario building as an integral part of decision-making. In addition, it calls for better embedding of WASH services provision within an integrated water resource management framework.

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