The water-climate nexus: how to address the cascading crises

Climate change results in changes to the water cycle. Droughts or floods - such extremes pinpoint interlinkage of water and climate change. Climate change intensifies the water cycle because as air temperatures increase, more water evaporates into the air with the risk of heavy rains. As temperatures rise, evaporation increases and soils dry out – intensifying the risk of droughts. Addressing climate change needs to include a water perspective, as climate change mitigation measures can influence water resources and their management. Water management policies and measures, on the other hand, can influence greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; interventions in the water system might be counter-productive when evaluated in terms of climate change mitigation.

This session of 'Water and Beyond' event about water-climate nexus, therefore, explored how to ensure that water management and policy become critical components of global, regional and national climate policies (e.g. Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans), investments and actions. Ahead of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26), the session looked at identifying the interlinkage of the EU Green Deal domestically and abroad with EU water, sanitation and climate change policies and programme.

Click here for more information about our Water and Beyond event.

SESSION SUMMARY

Tuesday 19 January: Session 4 - The water-climate nexus: how to address the cascading crises

Time: 15:20 - 16:50 (CET)