Water Solutions for a Resilient Net Zero Future
Global water use, storage, and distribution contribute 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions (CDP, 2020). At World Water Week, WINZ brought together experts to present not only WHY the world should be looking to water for emission reduction opportunities but HOW to invest in water to enable resilient low emission development. The event presented solutions across agriculture, water, sanitation, energy and nature based solutions; policy triggers to overcome barriers and mainstream water into climate actions; and financing; including high integrity carbon credits and more.
What are the next steps?
Awareness
Water must be understood as critically important to reaching Net Zero.
Action
We need to act now with the solutions we have a look at how to effectively scale them up.
Alliances
This cannot be done alone. We need to be working in networks that work across and unite sectors.
Key takeaways from the session
There are solutions ready: in utilities, rice cultivation, energy planning and more. The success and sustainability of these solutions depends on understanding the local context ensure the right solutions reach the right people.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) organizes around cross cutting themes, one of those is the nexus of energy and water. Mike Rinker shared the need to connect research and innovation with regulation and policy to get deployment of solutions and outcomes that are water and energy resilient.
The Freshwater Challenge presents a massive opportunity for decarbonization with a huge role for society, politicians and donors - Francesca Antonelli, Wetlands International.
Carbon credits are a small but under-leveraged opportunity for water solutions for net zero - University of Colorado Boulder's Evan Thomas.
Decarbonization solutions exist within utilities and more often than not provide the opportunity to improve performance and cost efficiency - Austin Alexander, Xylem.
Innovation in irrigation could reduce emission form rice by 20-30% while increasing yield and reducing water use - Amod Kumar Thakur, ICAR- Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Lance Gore shared that Asian Development Bank aims to mobilize 100bn USD including 66bn USD for mitigation, he outlined opportunities across water supply, wastewater sanitation hygiene, energy and water storage, irrigated agriculture, AND land use and forestry.
The fundamentals to implement and scale solutions: enabling framework, incentives, regulations, as well as stable policies to enhance to attract investment, developed infrastructure and transparency - International Water Management Institute's Maha Al-Zu'bi.
Agenda
Welcome and Introduction
Keynotes
Decarbonizing the Water Sector - Learnings from the Asian Development Bank
Lance Gore, Asian Development Bank
Developing a national water-energy-carbon strategy
Mike Rinker, Senior Technical Advisor, US Department of Energy
Solution Showcases
Five minute presentations outlining available, implemented solutions, scope of opportunity and next steps for investments at scale. Presentations will be followed by panel discussion.
Net Zero Water Utilities
Austin Alexander, Vice President, Sustainability and Social Impact, Xylem
Smart Irrigation Solution for Rice
Amod Kumar Thakur, Principal Scientist for Plant Physiology, Indian Council for Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Water Management (ICAR-IIWM)
Fulfilling the promise of the Freshwater Challenge
Francesca Antonelli, Programme Head, Rivers and Lakes, Wetlands International
Carbon Credits for Water Solutions
Evan Thomas, University of Colorado
Panel Discussion: Scaling Solutions and investment at scale
Lance Gore, Asian Development Bank
Sandra Ruckstuhl, Senior Researcher, IWMI
Mike Rinker, Senior Technical Advisor, US Department of Energy
Closing Remarks & Recommendations
James Dalton, Director of Global Water Programme, IUCN
