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On occasion, COP28 in Dubai World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has published and promoted a call for climate change starting from waterfall. The document calls on governments to “turn to water” in their national climate policies and in their global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit the current climate crisis.
According to the declaration, countries must work together to achieve coherence between water and climate policies, provide mutual support through the sharing of data, experiences, and ideas, and integrate water into all current and relevant climate programs.
Water as a symptom of the climate crisis
WMO convened the Coalition for Water and Climate because the impacts of climate change are often felt through water – more intense and frequent droughts, more extreme floods, more erratic seasonal rainfall, and accelerated melting of glaciers – with cascading effects on economies, ecosystems, and all aspects of our daily lives.
Currently, 3.6 billion people do not have access to water for at least one month of the year and this number is expected to rise to more than 5 billion by 2050. As a result, the risks associated with water increase. More than 100 countries are unlikely to have sustainably managed water resources by 2030.
Almost 75% of disasters in the last 20 years have been water-related with at least 1.6 billion people affected by floods 1.4 billion by drought and nearly $700 billion in economic damage.
How water can fight climate change
Preliminary estimates from a new study by the UN Panel on Water and Climate Change, coordinated by the WMO and presented at COP28, provided the first data on the water needs of mitigation measures. This information is intended to raise awareness of the links between water availability and the implementation of climate goals Paris Agreements. This includes, for example, water needed for clean energy measures such as liquid biofuels, wind and solar power, hydrogen, and hydropower, as well as for forests, wetlands, and other natural systems that absorb more carbon.
Globally, according to the first findings of the study, by 2030, clean energy mitigation measures alone will require approximately 900 cubic kilometers of water per year which is equal to about a third of the water withdrawn for irrigation worldwide.
As the world moves into the future clean energy freshwater needs for clean energy, sequestration, and other Paris Agreement measures will be offset to some extent by less demand for water from the “old energy system.” They will also be compensated to the extent that seawater or brackish water can be used in a cost-effective and environmentally acceptable manner.
Poorly managed wastewater, wetlands, reservoirs, and irrigation systems are also major sources of direct greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane AND nitrogen dioxide. Better management of these waters will be key to achieving global emission reduction targets, according to the study.
