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: [email protected]: www.unicef.org/eapro