Without sustainable freshwater management, there is no transition to clean energy, nor likelihood that we can successfully address adaptation and responses to loss and damage.
Water management and protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems can limit, directly, at least 10% of greenhouse gas emissions. While these reductions are not ‘hard-to-abate’ they have been too easy to overlook, an untapped source of emission reduction. At the same time energy production is – and will remain – highly water intensive.
The objective of this group is to offer climate planners, city officials, and companies alike clear, coherent pathways to resilient mitigation, and to reach beyond water stakeholders.
Smart water and sanitation management can greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is essential to ensure sustainable, resilient net-zero action across sectors
Without sustainable freshwater management, there is no transition to clean energy, neither a possibility to reverse the biodiversity crisis
Water and related-nature based solutions, like peatland protection and restoration, needs to be systematically included in national climate strategies, particularly in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), highlighting the role of water’s and freshwater ecosystems in clean energy and emissions reduction.
Water management accounts for at least 10% of global emissions, yet receives less than 2% of global climate finance.
Peatlands and other wetlands, holding significant amounts of carbon as well as having co-benefits for adaptation and biodiversity, yet remain invisible as potent solutions for mitigation.
Investing in increasing energy efficiency in water systems and utilities, and the conservation and restoration of peatlands and other wetlands can contribute significantly to reduce GHG emissions and consolidate mitigation efforts, while promoting adaptation and biodiversity .
COP29 is an opportunity to bring experts across sectors together to and offer solutions for emission reduction through water management, as well as ensure an energy transition is sustainable and not . The Resilient Mitigation group will host a day of interactive and engaging activities that aims to mainstream understanding of the ways in which water unlocks a path to a resilient net zero future, with co-benefits for adaptation and biodiversity goals, and useful approaches that can lead to these objectives (Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus, Source to Sea, Nature Based Solutions, in particular increased attention to the role of peatlands and other wetlands as carbon sinks, etc.)