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.

AWC (Arab Water Council) (2009) Vulnerability of Arid and Semi-arid Regions to Climate Change: Impacts and Adaptive Strategies [online], Perspective Document for the 5th World Water Forum, World Water Council, Marseille, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC), The Hague, IUCN, Gland and International Water Association (IWA), The Hague, available from: http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810 [accessed 6 May 2009]. http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810

Batchelor, C.H., Schouten, T., Smits, S., Moriarty, P.B. and Butterworth, J.A. (2009) Climate Change and WASH Services Delivery: Is Improved WASH Governance the Key to Effective Mitigation and Adaptation? [online] Perspective Document for the 5th World Water Forum, World Water Council, Marseille, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC), The Hague, IUCN, Gland and International Water Association (IWA), The Hague, available from: http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810 [accessed 6 May 2009]. http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810

Bates, B.C., Kundzewicz, Z.W., Wu, S. and Palutikof, J.P. (eds) (2008) Climate Change and Water [online], Technical Paper of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC Secretariat, Geneva, available from: http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tp-climate-change-water.htm [accessed 6 May 2009]. http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tp-climate-change-water.htm

Biswas, A.K. (2004) ‘Integrated water resources management: A reassessment’, Water International 29: 248-56.

Burke, J. and Kuylenstierna, J. (2009) The Water Variable: Producing Enough Food in a Climate Insecure World [online], Perspective Document for the 5th World Water Forum, World Water Council, Marseille, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC), The Hague, IUCN, Gland and International Water Association (IWA), The Hague, available from: http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810 [accessed 6 May 2009]. http://www.waterandclimate.org/index.php?id=5thWorldWaterForumpublications810

GWP (Global Water Partnership) (2003) IWRM ToolBox, GWP Secretariat, Stockholm.

IRC (2009) ‘Aide memoire of a meeting on climate change and WASH’, http://www.irc.nl/page/46940, IRC, the Hague, Netherlands. http://www.irc.nl/page/46940

Moriarty, P., Butterworth, J. and Batchelor, C. (2004) Integrated Water Resources Management and the Domestic Water and Sanitation Sub-sector, IRC Thematic Overview Paper, IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre, Delft, The Netherlands.

Moriarty, P.B., Batchelor, C.H., Laban, P. and Fahmy, H. (2007) ‘EMPOWERS approach to water governance: Background to guidelines and key concepts’, EMPOWERS Partnership [online], www.project.empowers.info/page/3337 [accessed 6 May 2009]. www.project.empowers.info/page/3337

Pittock, J., Teutschbein, C. and Tornqvist, R. (2008) Draft Climate and Water Rapporteurs Report. Stockholm World Water Week 2008.

UN Water (2008) ‘Global annual assessment of sanitation and drinking-water: 2008 pilot report - testing a new reporting approach’, WHO [online] http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/glaas/en/ [accessed 6 May 2009]. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/glaas/en/

WWC/CPWC/IUCN/IWA (2009a) Perspectives on Water and Climate Change Adaptation; Introduction, Summaries and Key Messages, Perspective Document for the 5th World Water Forum, World Water Council, Marseille, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC), The Hague, IUCN, Gland and International Water Association (IWA), The Hague.

WWC/CPWC/IUCN/IWA (2009b) Don't Stick your Head in the Sand! Towards a Framework for Climate-proofing, Perspective Document for the 5th World Water Forum, World Water Council, Marseille, Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate (CPWC), The Hague, IUCN, Gland and International Water Association (IWA), The Hague.