Download Diapositiva 1 - Global Water Partnership

Regional Policy Dialog:
Water and Climate Change Adaptation
November 2011
Why is climate change adaptation
important for water and why is water
important for climate change
adaptation?
• Water is the primary medium through which
climate change impacts are felt by humans and
the environment
• The impacts of climate change on water resources
in turn affect other sectors (agriculture, energy,
environmental protection, industry, tourism, etc.) that
require water resources, threatening economic,
social and environmental development, and
jeopardize national security
• Planning climate change adaptation measures
allows the intensity of their impacts and the
vulnerability to be reduced. Simply reacting to
extreme situations multiplies the financial,
environmental and social costs
The data doesn’t
predict a tsunami
with absolute
certainty, I still saw
we wait
Aims of the Regional Policy Dialog (RPD)
• Raise awareness among the public and
decision-makers on the importance of waterbased climate change adaptation
• Provide a platform for all stakeholders in the
water,
development
and
environment
communities in the Americas to adopt a
united and coherent voice in the global
debate on this issue, and making this voice
known in relevant events and processes
• Promoting the exchange of (good or bad)
experiences including from local communities
on what constitutes “good adaptation”, and
unite efforts to face this common goal
Other steps carried out in the RPD
• Bringing together a crosscutting group of relevant stakeholders in the Americas
(banks, NGOs, CSOs, governmental agencies, private sector, research centers, etc.)
• Drawing up a regional position paper, and preparation of nine key public policy
recommendations
• Bringing the dialog to other processes (UNFCCC, Adaptation Partnership, CDB, UNCSD, etc.)
Partners in the RPD
Some examples of climate
variability/climate change
• The number of droughts and floods increased
by 2.4 times between 1970 and 1990 in Latin
America (IPCC, 2008)
• The sea-level has risen by 2-3mm per year in the
last 10-20 years in Latin America (IPCC, 2008)
• National GDP is predicted to fall by 7.3% in
Bolivia, Colombia 4.5%, Ecuador 6.2% and Peru
4.4% through agriculture, fishing, electricity and
infrastructure by 2025 (CAN, 2008)
• A decrease in rainfall is predicted in the arid part
of North America and an increase is predicted in
the rest of the country (IPCC, 2008)
• Glacier retreat throughout the continent (IPCC,
2008)
Key messages from the regional policy
paper
• 01_It is important to recognize the imminence and
importance of the impacts of climate change on
water resources.
• 02_Adaptation to climate change should be
incorporated as a key strategic element in
Integrated Water Resources Management.
• 03_It is important to strengthen the ‘environmental
dimension’ in water resources management in the
region as a climate change adaptation measure.
Key messages (continued)
• 04_In the development of water-based climate
change adaptation policies, it is important to
explicitly consider equity and poverty alleviation
measures.
• 05_Hydro-climate information systems in the
region must be strengthened so that they can be
used to support timely and preventive climate
change adaptation measures.
• 06_The LAC region should continue the ongoing
process of institutional capacity development for
water-based adaptation to climate change.
Key messages (continued 2)
• 07_Water resources infrastructure needs to be
developed and adapted to respond to climate
change impacts and to the sources of financing
available for this purpose.
• 08_The process of water-based adaptation to
climate change offers important challenges in
terms of social organization, implying the need for
sustained efforts to be made to establish effective
coordination, collaboration and social participation
mechanisms.
• 09_The LAC region must increase its efforts to
generate knowledge and train professionals on
water-based adaptation to climate change.
Regional targets
• The RPD is also the working group on the Americas’
regional water and climate change priority.
• This process has defined two targets:
• Inventory of Water and Adaptation Actions in
the Americas by 2012; coordinated by the Water
Center for Latin America and the Caribbean ; and
• Stimulate the creation of national and local
adaptation
plans
which
consider
water
resources between 2009, 2012 and 2015;
coordinated by the CONAGUA
Target 1: inventory of actions
• The inventory is now open to receive information
on the activities taking place in the Americas
(http://www.aguaaaa.org/)
• These activities can be public policies, laws,
projects, programs, or other activities. The scope
of the activity can be local, national or
supranational
• The activities with interesting lessons to be shared
will be invited to present them in the next events in
the RPD
• To support the inventory, a 50,000 USD Water and
Adaptation Actions Prize will be awarded to support
the sustainability of the winning activity. The three
finalists will be taken to the 6th World Water Forum
to present their activities
Target 2: stimulation of plans
• A baseline is being established of
national and local adaptation plans
that consider water resources, and it is
hoped to stimulate a 10% increase in
both by 2012 and a further 15% by 2015
• A number of different networks are
supporting the establishment of the
baseline on existing plans (CODIA,
CCCCC, etc.)
• The RPD and the 9 public policy
recommendations are being used to
stimulate the formulation of new plans or
inclusion in existing plans
Events in the RPD
7th InterFirst
World
COP 17
World
American
Earth
6th World
edition
of
XI
CODIA
Technical
XII
CODIA
Water
Water Week
Dialogue on (Durban,
Summit
Water
the
workshop (Mexico Week in
(Buenos
November
in
Water
Rio +20
Forum
City, Stockholm D4WCC in Stockholm
(Mexico
Aires, Management
(Marseilles, (Rio de
COP
16
City, June August
November
2010
2011
(Medellin, December
Janeiro,
March
2010) (Septemb (Cancun,
2010)
2011)
2011)
(August
November
June
2012)
December
er 2011)
2011)
2011)
2012)
2010)
Some conclusions to take home
• Water is a crosscutting resource which
is essential
for
climate
change
adaptation and mitigation – it is not a
“sector”
• We can not wait to have prefect
information before acting
• Water should be considered in an
integrated way in adaptation plans
“outside the water box”
• Not acting as a result of the uncertainty
is not a serious nor an effective option–
“no regrets” strategies
• The union of national, regional and
global efforts is required to reach our
goals
¡Muchas
gracias!
Colin Herron
Focal Point for Water and Climate Change
National Water Commission of Mexico (CONAGUA)
Tel: (+52 55) 5174 4100, ext: 4437
[email protected]
www.aguaycambioclimatico.org