Integrating sanitation and climate change adaptation: lessons learned from case studies of WaterAid’s work in four countries
The links between climate change and sanitation are frequently overlooked in the WASH sector. This paper examines experiences of WaterAid in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, India, and Madagascar where there was some consideration of the impacts of climate change on sanitation. Climate resilience was often not considered explicitly, however, with work instead framed around weather-related threats that are now increasingly frequent and severe. In these case studies, sanitation and climate integration involved adapting on-site sanitation hardware to physical impacts on infrastructure, while some social aspects of climate resilience were also considered. Integration took place primarily at the project level, while climate change consideration seemed absent from wider planning and decision-making. Aside from these case studies, most of WaterAid’s sanitation work does not seem to incorporate climate change. It is recommended that climate resilience is integrated into each stage of sanitation programming, with a more systematic consideration of its potential impacts.Casey, V. and Newton-Lewis, V. (forthcoming) Climate-resilient WASH. London: WaterAid.
Dagerskog, L., Dickin, S. and Savadogo, K. (2020) ‘Return to learn: recommendations from revisited rural ecosan projects in Burkina Faso’, Waterlines 39: 1, 61–72 <https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.19-00008>.
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Dickin, S., Bayoumi, M., Giné, R., Andersson, K. and Jiménez, A. (2020) ‘Sustainable sanitation and gaps in global policy and financing’, npj Clean Water 3: 23 <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-020-0072-8>.
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Kohlitz, J., Willetts, J. and Gero, A. (2019) Discussion paper: Climate, Sanitation and Health (draft) [pdf], Geneva: World Health Organization <https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/sanitation-waste/sanitation/sanitation-and-climate-change20190813.pdf> [accessed 21 June 2020].
Mills, F., Kohlitz, J., Carrard, N. and Willetts, J. (2019) Considering Climate Change in Urban Sanitation: Conceptual Approaches and Practical Implications [pdf], The Hague: SNV <https://snv.org/cms/sites/default/files/explore/download/20190212-climatechange-ushhd-learningpaper-web.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
Raman, V.R. and Singh, K. (2019) Solution Conclave on Terrain Appropriate Toilet Technologies: Samastipur, Bihar, New Delhi: WaterAid (unpublished).
Raman, V.R., Muralidharan, A., Srivastava, P. and Hueso, A. (2017) Quality and Sustainability of Toilets: A Rapid Assessment of Technologies under Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin [pdf], New Delhi: WaterAid India <https://www.wateraidindia.in/sites/g/files/jkxoof336/files/quality-and-sustainability-of-toilets.pdf> [accessed 17 March 2020].
Sanwidi, M., Kafando, A., Djibril, B. and Zoungrana, T. (2019) Projet ‘Efforts de préparation aux catastrophes pour soutenir les communautés vulnérables au Burkina Faso’ Evaluation Finale, Ouagadougou: WaterAid (unpublished).
WaterAid (2011) Sanitation Framework [pdf], London: WaterAid <washmatters.wateraid.org/publications/sanitation-framework> [accessed 27 May 2020].
WaterAid (2019a) Guidance on Programming for Rural Sanitation [pdf], London: WaterAid <washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/guidance-on-programming-for-rural-sanitation.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
WaterAid (2019b) Urban Framework [pdf], London: WaterAid <https://washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/wateraid-urban-framework_0.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
WaterAid (2020) ‘Improving sanitation safety and sustainability: learning for retrofitting based on findings from a study in six vulnerable terrains of India’ [PowerPoint presentation], 9 January 2020 (unpublished).
Casey, V. and Newton-Lewis, V. (forthcoming) Climate-resilient WASH. London: WaterAid.
Dagerskog, L., Dickin, S. and Savadogo, K. (2020) ‘Return to learn: recommendations from revisited rural ecosan projects in Burkina Faso’, Waterlines 39: 1, 61–72 <https://doi.org/10.3362/1756-3488.19-00008>.
Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation Ministry of Jal Shakti (2020) Swacch Bharat Mission – Gramin [online], New Delhi: Government of India. <https://sbm.gov.in/sbmreport/home.aspx> [accessed 17 March 2020].
Dickin, S., Bayoumi, M., Giné, R., Andersson, K. and Jiménez, A. (2020) ‘Sustainable sanitation and gaps in global policy and financing’, npj Clean Water 3: 23 <https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-020-0072-8>.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2014) Country Fact Sheet on Food and Agriculture Policy Trends: Burkina Faso [pdf], Rome: FAO <http://www.fao.org/3/i3760e/i3760e.pdf> [accessed 26 February 2020].
Gupta, A. (2014) ‘EcoSan toilets – an alternative to conventional sanitation in vulnerable locations’ [blog], 12 September, London: WaterAid <https://washmatters.wateraid.org/blog/ecosan-toilets-an-alternative-to-conventional-sanitation-in-vulnerable-locations> [accessed 17 March 2021].
Kohlitz, J., Willetts, J. and Gero, A. (2019) Discussion paper: Climate, Sanitation and Health (draft) [pdf], Geneva: World Health Organization <https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/sanitation-waste/sanitation/sanitation-and-climate-change20190813.pdf> [accessed 21 June 2020].
Mills, F., Kohlitz, J., Carrard, N. and Willetts, J. (2019) Considering Climate Change in Urban Sanitation: Conceptual Approaches and Practical Implications [pdf], The Hague: SNV <https://snv.org/cms/sites/default/files/explore/download/20190212-climatechange-ushhd-learningpaper-web.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
Raman, V.R. and Singh, K. (2019) Solution Conclave on Terrain Appropriate Toilet Technologies: Samastipur, Bihar, New Delhi: WaterAid (unpublished).
Raman, V.R., Muralidharan, A., Srivastava, P. and Hueso, A. (2017) Quality and Sustainability of Toilets: A Rapid Assessment of Technologies under Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin [pdf], New Delhi: WaterAid India <https://www.wateraidindia.in/sites/g/files/jkxoof336/files/quality-and-sustainability-of-toilets.pdf> [accessed 17 March 2020].
Sanwidi, M., Kafando, A., Djibril, B. and Zoungrana, T. (2019) Projet ‘Efforts de préparation aux catastrophes pour soutenir les communautés vulnérables au Burkina Faso’ Evaluation Finale, Ouagadougou: WaterAid (unpublished).
WaterAid (2011) Sanitation Framework [pdf], London: WaterAid <washmatters.wateraid.org/publications/sanitation-framework> [accessed 27 May 2020].
WaterAid (2019a) Guidance on Programming for Rural Sanitation [pdf], London: WaterAid <washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/guidance-on-programming-for-rural-sanitation.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
WaterAid (2019b) Urban Framework [pdf], London: WaterAid <https://washmatters.wateraid.org/sites/g/files/jkxoof256/files/wateraid-urban-framework_0.pdf> [accessed 21 February 2020].
WaterAid (2020) ‘Improving sanitation safety and sustainability: learning for retrofitting based on findings from a study in six vulnerable terrains of India’ [PowerPoint presentation], 9 January 2020 (unpublished).
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