COP29 | Unleashing emissions reduction potential of utilities
At the COP29 Water for Climate Pavilion, WINZ along with French Water Partnership, organized a session to provide an overview of emissions and their potential reduction within water and sanitation utilities, illustrated by utility know-how. It offered water actors the opportunity to speak and present good practices for the preservation of water resources to their partners and peers as well as engage in a dialogue with international financing organizations.
More and more cities in both hemispheres are experiencing chronic water stress. With climate change, these situations will become increasingly common around the world. Water is one of the main markers of the impacts of climate change and changes in water regimes will require many adaptation measures for the main activities that depend on this resource.
Making large volumes of good quality water available to users implies, in addition to good management of water resources, the implementation of other production factors, such as desalination, requiring significant additional energy resources. Achieving the SDGs will increase the pressure on our natural resources and requires us to look at ways to improve the efficiency of our production processes. The treatment and transport of drinking water and wastewater accounts for between 1 and 18% of electricity consumption in urban areas. As such, the water and sanitation sector can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Cross-sector collaboration enhances emission reductions in water utilities – Engaging sectors such as energy, technology, finance, and urban planning is essential for integrating innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and sustainability in water management.
Speakers
Julieta Schallenberg, Deputy Regional Minister of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Energy, Government of the Canary Islands
Thomas Schrøder, Director of Climate, Grundfos
Elisabeth Rianawati, Director, Resilience Development Initiative [online]
Reyes Tirado, Agri-Food Lead, Climate Bonds Initiative
Dr. Abishek S Narayan, Researcher, Sanitation, Water and Solid Waste for Development, EAWAG and Climate Resilience Sanitation Coalition
Vincent Rocher, Director of Innovation, Strategy and Environment at SIAAP (Greater Paris Sanitation authority) [pre-recorded video]
