Climate Change and WASH (Unicef)

UNICEF EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC REGIONAL OFFICE

Jill Lawler, UNICEF

10 September, 2012

Climate Change Evidence

- Temperatures have increased an average of 0.74°C within the past century

- Projected temperature increases in AP of 0.5–2°C by 2030 and 1–7°C by 2070

- In 2011, global emissions of carbon dioxide reached 389.6 ppm of CO2-equivalent

- Evidence of changes in sea levels, arctic temperatures and sea ice

MongoliaGrassland and forest areas have declined by 7% and 26%, 7% of steppe desert

19% decline in surface water since 1970s

IndonesiaData over 50 year period show decreasing trends in December–January rainfall in

parts of Papua, Sumatra and the Kalimantan Islands, and increasing trends in rainfall in most of Java, Bali and NTT

PhilippinesAverage temperature has increased by 0.648°C for 1951 to 2010. The rate of

increase for night time temperature 3 times than day time temperature increase

Pacific IslandsSea levels currently increasing at a rate of 3.9 millimetres per year for Kiribati

(1992–2010) and 5.6 millimetres per year for Vanuatu (1993–2009)

Viet Nam

Sea level increased by 9cm in past 30 years, 1 m rise by 2100

Observed impacts

Frequency of heavy rainfall likely to increase

Increases in extremely hot days virtually certain

Sea level rise very likely to lead to flooding

Heat waves very likely to increase in length, frequency, and/or intensity

Projected impacts

Multiple Hazard Index

Low

Medium

High

Severe

Sea Level Rise

Potential WASH related impacts of climate change

Natural resources •Increased precipitation intensity and variability with risk of flooding and drought•Higher risk of water pollution and disease from elevated water temperatures•Saline intrusion of coastal aquifers from rise in sea levels•Rising levels of groundwater pollution Infrastructure•Need for greater investment in flood protection, storage capacity, supply and treatment systems, reconstruction of damaged WASH infrastructure etc.•Need to supply WASH services to new, mobile populations

Demand •Increased unsustainable use of surface and groundwater resources •Increased competition between WASH and agriculture (irrigation, farming)Access •Multiplication of livelihood problems as a result of rapid climatic change•Possible failure of regulatory systems and/or legislation aimed at protecting rights of individuals or community to access water for multiple uses

From JMP-UNICEF database. 2010 data.

Access to Water and Sanitation in EAP

Source: SOWC, 2007

‘No regrets’ solutions to reduce risk, build resilience

• Iterative process of monitoring, research, evaluation, learning, and innovation to reduce risk and promote adaptive management

• Build knowledge through risk assessments and scenario building

• Translate knowledge into plans and strategies, policies and programmes supported by monitoring and information management systems

• Low-regrets measures are starting points for addressing projected threats

Building resilience of the WASH sector

Examples of Adaptation Approaches

Rainwater Harvesting Aquifer RechargeSmall Multipurpose

Dams

Subsurface DamsPonds

Effective Exploitation of GroundwaterGroundwater Recharge

Mean annual groundwater recharge in mm/year

Groundwater Exploitation and Protection

Source: P. Doll et al. 2003,

Water Conservation and EfficiencyWaterless Urinal

Water Conservation Campaigns

Leak in Water Supply System

Adaptation to Climate Change Training Module

UNICEF’s and Climate Change Adaptation

Many elements must come together

Impact assessments in Indonesia, Mongolia, Philippines and Kiribati and Vanuatu

Illustrate patterns and trends of climate change and disaster impacts on child survival

Follow-up study underway to analyze the role of social protection in advancing disaster risk reduction

Expanding the knowledge base

Child development indicators

(e.g. net enrollment rates, water and sanitation coverage, health and nutrition, household income, per capita budget expenditure, immunization rates

Combine hazard, climate data

with …

Strengthening risk informed policies, programmes and allocations

National interventions

National WASH assessments conducted in Indonesia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam and the Philippines

Goal to identify hazards and impacts to WASH sector; identify 'adaptations’

Country Profile Cards conducted for a number of countries in the Region

UNICEF supporting a number of country-specific interventions

E.g. Groundwater sustainability assessments (China), water safety plans (Viet Nam), mainstreaming of DRR/CCA in WASH (Indonesia)

1. Knowledge generation: •Training in water resource management, risk management•Partnership with universities •Improve access to journals and scientific materials•Data gathering of climate observations and impacts on WASH

2. Knowledge dissemination:•Guidance to media on how to report CC related to WASH•Training of key decision-makers•Integration of end users perspectives and needs

3. Informed Action:•Pilot projects on adaptation in WASH•Forums to assess on WASH policy needs for adaptation

Capacity Building At All Levels

Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is the idealframework in which to evaluate, design, implement and monitoradaptation strategies for CC on water resources.

Promoting IWRM

DEVELOPMENT OF: FUNCTIONS:• Land and water• Surface water and groundwater• River basin and its adjacent

coastal and marine environment

• Upstream and downstream interests

• Water allocation• Pollution control• Monitoring• Financial management• Flood and drought management• Information management• Basin planning• Stakeholder participation

Engaging young heroes in policy development and planning

“We want to do something about climate change for our families.“ Kiribati workshop, 2011

Sufficient evidence to act

• Evidence emerging but clear climate change will be additional stressor

• Climate change will interact with other factors including population growth, inequities in services, urbanization, disaster exposure, land use changes, poverty, etc.

• The majority of climate change impacts are avoidable -- there’s much we can do!!

Thank You

Contact: jlawler@unicef.orgUNICEF: www.unicef.org/eapro