Climate Change, Water, and Wastewater Challenges in Cities Need Urgent Action

The study “The Challenges of Water, waste and Climate Change in Cities” describes the tremendous challenges that cities face due to rapid urbanisation, climate change, and poor water and wastewater infrastructure and management maintenance.

These water issues could quickly escalate into other problems, such as flooding, illness, water scarcity, etc., that could affect cities’ resilience.

Urgent action is needed to address these challenges. Otherwise, the study says, the cost of inaction will prove too high.

The researchers examined 45 municipalities and regions, mostly in Europe but also in Latin America, Asia, and Africa, and their water, wastewater, and climate adaptation challenges. They used the City Blueprint methodology to assess the sustainability of their water resources.

Using the City Blueprint approach, researchers were able to distinguish five categories of sustainability: (1) cities lacking basic water services, (2) wasteful cities, (3)water-efficient cities, (4) resource-efficient and adaptive cities and (5) water-wise cities.

The study finds that cities face a water governance crisis and a pressing need to address it. The way forward is through creating smarter cities – “water-wise cities that integrate their sectoral agendas on water, wastewater, energy, solid waste, transport, ICT, climate adaptation and nature..”.

Successfully implementing water-wise cities will entail learning alliances of cities and establishing a platform to exchange challenges and best practices between cities.

Everyone, from international organisations to the private sector, city planners, and city mayors, has to work together to contribute solutions to address the challenges that cities around the world are facing.

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