Practical tools and methods for climate change adaptation in the WASH sector
Stef Smits
Dear colleagues,
I was alerted to two further tools/methods/documents that recently have been worked on by members of this Group (and others):
- One is a toolbox available aimed at collecting case studies and tools which could be useful for local governments in developing countries who try to build more resilient urban societies and responding to, mitigating and preparing for disaster. It is available at www.waterdisaster.org and is being developed by Ase Johannessen at IWA. This site is still in its early days and Ase is happy to receive comments on it, for example if there is need for clarification, and different ideas on working groups which need to be constructed. The toolbox is currently empty, but uploads from the group is very much welcome! Interns will be working on collecting more tools and case studies this summer. There are also still some technical difficulties, but that is being addressed by the web designer as we discover the faults. A background document on the site can be sent, but preferably it should speak for itself. For further into, contact Ase at ase.joh...@iwahq.org
- A report by the World Bank, called Climate Change and Urban Water Utilities (2010) is available at http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2010/04/26/000334955_20100426044056/Rendered/PDF/542350NWP0WN2410Box345640B01PUBLIC1.pdf. This report provides guidance on and experiences of urban utilities across the globe on how they can adapt to climate change. Surely, it contains many relevant lessons for the WASH sector.
If you have other practical guidance documents and tools that may be of interest to the group, please feel free to share these.
Last but not least, Ina Jurga of the WSSCC made an overview of all climate change related sessions at Stockholm. See attached. This may help you identifying which sessions you may want to attend.
Best regards,
Stef
From: Stef Smits
Sent: 27 May 2010 12:18
To: 'washclim...@googlegroups.com'
Subject: Side event on practical tools and methods for climate change
adaptation in the WASH sector
Dear colleagues,
After sounding out interest with some members of the Working Group on Climate Change and WASH, it is proposed to meet once again with that group. For those of you who are new to the Group, it was established last year as an informal platform for knowledge sharing on adaptation to climate change in the WASH sector (see http://www.irc.nl/page/48191 for further info). The Group met last year in Stockholm for the last time. Even though the exchange of experiences via email has been very quiet, the members of the group have been very active in working on various studies, tools and guidance documents for practical adaptation in the WASH sector. Some of these have come out recently, such as a document to support policy development by Tearfund (http://tilz.tearfund.org/webdocs/Tilz/Topics/watsan/Water%20Adaptation%20Guide_Web.pdf), a manifesto for the group (http://www.irc.nl/page/50458), whereas others are still being finalised. Also, recently a discussion meeting was organised by the Water Integrity Network on water integrity in the context of coping with the effects of climate change (http://www.waterintegritynetwork.net/page/3427).
In view of these activities and publications, it is proposed to meet again as a group, with the objective to present and discuss “practical tools, methods and guidance documents for adaptation to climate change in the WASH sector”. The idea is to learn from these various documents, discuss these tools and how to take them forward. In addition, we would like to discuss the further role and focus of the working group, also in view of the myriad of other initiatives around climate change. As many of you are likely to be in Stockholm for the World Water Week, we propose to hold this meeting on the Friday 10th of September in that week. Before sending out a formal concept programme, venue, etc, I would like to sound out with you whether you would be interested to join the meeting and whether that date would work out for you. In case we can get most of the members together, we will proceed in arranging a venue, and programme for the meeting. So, please let me know latest by next Friday 4 June whether you would like to attend on the indicated day.
Best regards,
Stef Smits
Stef Smits
Programme Officer
IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre
PO Box 82327
2508 EH Den Haag
The Netherlands
T: +31-70-304 4051 or +31-6-209 257 69 (mobile)
E: sm...@irc.nl
Skype: stefsmits
W: www.irc.nl