Water and Climate Change, a UN 2020 Report

Climate change is affecting all aspects of our existence: societies, ecosystems, and the economy, but its impact will be felt through water, a crucial element of life.

Increasing variability in the water cycle implies more significant water stress. Water-related impacts also negatively affect food security, human health, energy production, and biodiversity.

Several international frameworks address climate change’s impacts on global water resources, including their availability, sustainability, and quality.

One of these frameworks is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Goals (SDGs).

The 2020 UN World Water Development Report addresses the critical links between water sustainability and climate change.

This report is not a purely technical investigation of climate change’s impacts on the hydrological cycle. Rather, it focuses on the challenges, opportunities, and potential responses to climate change in the form of climate adaptation, mitigation, and improved resilience through improved water management and sustainability.

Regarding climate change strategies, the focus is only on water systems adaptation measures such as flooding adaptation and addressing water stress for agricultural needs.

Water management, however, has a very important role in climate mitigation. Improved wastewater treatment can help reduce GHG emissions and supply renewable energy in the form of biogas.

So, the solution to the water crisis should involve both water adaptation and mitigation, meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fully embracing the climate change framework opportunities.

The report contains 14 chapters and a prologue that discusses the state of water resources under climate change and its impacts on the hydrological cycle.

• Chapter 1 describes the objectives and scope of the report, emphasizes the cross-sectoral nature of the challenges, and highlights the most vulnerable.
• Chapter 2 highlights the major international policy frameworks, highlighting gas and opportunities for resilient water management for global action.
• Chapter 3 discusses climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience-building on water infrastructure and water management systems.
• Chapter 4 focuses on disaster risk reduction on water-related extremes and building resilience through “hard” and “soft” measures.
• Chapter 5 discusses human health impacts associated with water quality and quantity and trends in morbidity and mortality under climate change.
• Chapter 6 highlights where land-water linkages become apparent regarding climate impacts and practical land and water management approaches for climate adaptation and mitigation through agriculture.
• Chapter 7 identifies water-related climate adaptation, mitigation, and resilience for energy and industry.
• Chapter 8 describes the links between water, climate and human settlements, highlighting increased resilience in urban planning.
• Chapter 9 builds on the information and analysis in chapters 3 through 8. It highlights climate change actions on the water to maximize co-benefits and address trade-offs.
• Chapter 10 describes how the nature and scale of water-related impacts go beyond national borders. Priority challenges and opportunities are drawn from the country and region levels.
• Chapter 11 outlines the legal, institutional, and political means to support climate change adaptation and mitigation to enhance resilience through more inclusive water management.
• Chapter 12 addresses the current state of water and climate finance, comparing the cost of inaction to its benefits.
• Chapter 13 highlights research, innovation and science to support informed decision-making.
• Chapter 14 is a closing chapter that constitutes an urgent call for action.