Financing Must Triple to Meet Climate and SDG Goals for Water

-
The majority of national climate plans with an adaptation component which have been submitted under the Paris Climate Change Agreement prioritise action on water, yet financing would need to triple to 255 billion euros (about USD295 billion) per year to meet such targets.
This was a key message of the international water community on Friday at their Action event during the COP23 UN Climate Change Conference.

“Sustainable use of water for multiple purposes must remain a way of life and needs to be at the centre of building resilient cities and human settlements and ensuring food security in a climate change context,” said Mariet Verhoef-Cohen, President of the Women for Water Partnership, and Co-Chair of Water Scarcity in Agriculture Platform (WASAG).
The international water community co-signed what it called a “nature based solution declaration” at the opening of the Water Action Day to encourage the use of natural systems in managing healthy water supplies.

Water tends to be a local issue but consequences of its unwise management have global impact. Around 40% of the world's population will face water shortages by 2050, accelerating migration and triggering conflict, while some regions could lose up to 6% of their economic output, unless it is better managed.

Obstacles in accessing funding to meet climate change investment requirements in the water sector hinders achievement of UNSustainable Development Goal 6 (ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all), as well as endangering the Paris Agreement’s goal to keep the average global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius and as close as possible to 1.5.
“Involving both women and men in decision making and integrated water resources initiatives leads to better sustainability, governance and efficiency,” said Ms Verhoef-Cohen.
The international water community encompasses several networks, including also #ClimateIsWater, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA) and Global Alliances for Water and Climate (GAfWaC). The community underlined the imperative to develop closer cooperation within the climate community, as well as the energy, agriculture, urban, health, and oceans communities.

Water community experts said countries should turn their commitments into ambitious actions, notably by enhancing the efforts announced in their national climate plans – known as nationally-determined contributions.

Water must emerge as a greater priority in national policies and be integrated within other major sectors such as energy, food security, health, education, they said.

ENDS///

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AUSTRALIA: A STEADFAST PARTNER AND FRIEND TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY DR LACHLAN STRAHN, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close bond – indeed, we are Pacific family. The Blue Pacific is our shared home, our common region. The Coral Sea links us forever and continental drift is in fact pushing us closer together. But our deep friendship is based on much more than shared geography. We are bound together by our common values as democratic countries committed to peace, a rich spiritual life and a shared determination to give every individual, man, woman, girl and boy, the opportunity to reach their full potential. Family stick together, through the good times and the tough times. Australia partnered with Solomon Islands during some of the country’s darkest moments, including through RAMSI to help restore stability and law and order. And Solomon Islands has been there for Australia, with people across the country reaching into their hearts to raise funds for the communities ravaged by devastating bushfir...
Read more

VANUATU BIGGEST IMPORTER OF CANNED TUNA FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY GEORGINA KEKEA VANUATU is the biggest importer of canned tuna from Solomon Islands. National Fisheries Development (NFD) Limited Managing Director, Frank Wickham shared this information in a recent radio talkback show to mark World Tuna Day. Wickham says the biggest export destination for SolTuna’s canned tuna is Vanuatu. “Followed by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the market is now open in New Zealand. There is a big move now to promote and market in New Zealand and Australia. We have containers going to Kiribati, Tuvalu with a few to Tonga and Marshall Islands. The biggest of them all is Vanuatu”, Wickham said. He says domestically the consumption of tuna is growing annually making Solomon  Islands one of the biggest canned tuna consumption per capita in the world. “Two years ago it was like more than 800,000 cartons a year. which means for every woman, man and child in the country, they consume one carton a year. So if you look at 48 tin cans in one carton, it is almost one ...
Read more

HOW A TINY PROVINCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS REACHES OUT TO AUSTRALIA

-
Image
THE small island province of Temotu in the far eastern part of Solomon Islands is one of the nation’s most prone natural hazard areas. The tsunami in 2013 swamped through 20 villages With an estimated population of less than 25,000, Temotu often has its bouts of natural disasters. In 2015, tropical cyclone Pam left devastating effects on the tiny province where people were affected from damages to their fruit trees, food gardens and agricultural crops. People near the coast were evacuated. Then again in 2017, TC Donna in its wake and formation also impacted badly on the people of Temotu. Not to mention it was only seven years ago a tsunami claimed lives of more than 10 people, swamped more than 20 villages forcing the government to declare a state of emergency over the Santa Cruz Islands. Remains of household in Venga village after 2013 tsunami (Photo supplied) Their most recent bout of disaster was in January 2019 where bad weather caused people to face food shortag...
Read more