WATER SECTOR SIDE EVENT AT COP17

1. water sector leadership group WATER SECTOR SIDE EVENT AT COP17 WSLG Meeting 18 November 2011

2. water sector leadership group Water…. • Is the primary way that people, especially the poor, will experience severe CC impacts . African countries are particularly vulnerable (climate change refugees). • Underpins all development so CC will have a negative impact on economic growth, livelihoods and sustainable development. • Sector leaders internationally are only beginning to think about climate change and water in concrete terms. MUST be given its rightful place on the agendaof COP 17 and future COPs… this is a political, social and economic imperative for African and other developing countries!

3. water sector leadership group Mitigation and ADAPTATION • World leaders need to focus on mitigation- the primary focus of COP. We need to highlight mitigation strategies that are water intensive and exacerbate water issues. • But we cannot focus solely on mitigation! A nation and its people’s ability to adapt, particularly to water challenges, is critical for survival. • Adaptation funding is a key issue on the COP agenda, so there is scope for SA to provide ideas on utilising these funds. • Water must be central to negotiations and decisions on adaptation approaches.

4. water sector leadership group Side Event Motivation • Motivation came from WSLG and its EXCO , same call made by AMCOW • Multi-stakeholder session to highlight and gain support for the integration of water into the climate change negotiations • Will reach decision makers by feeding into AMCOW’s Water Climate Development Day and the dialogue of Ministers of Water & Environment

5. water sector leadership group Overview of the Side Event Date: Friday 2 December, 9am-1pm Host: the Water Sector Leadership Group, led by DWA Invitees: local, African and global water sector practitioners and climate change activists Objectives: 1. Raising the significance and profile of water as central to climate change, 2. Highlighting climate change and water realities in South Africa, 3. Generating positions and strategies on water and climate change challenges from a cross-sectoral South African and African perspective, and 4. Sharing experience and information on water and climate change initiatives and activities (through visits to stands by a range of water sector organisations).

6. water sector leadership group Draft Programme (to be confirmed) 1. Introduction: DWA and AMCOW 2. Water and climate change in Southern Africa: • Presentation “What we know about hydrological projections in Southern Africa”: R. Shultz • Presentation “Water Reconciliation Studies & Actions to Protect Water Resources”: A. Masefield 3. Generating positions and strategies • Presentation “Conceptual framing of climate change and water” (ending with questions and positions for consideration/ endorsement): M. Galvin • Input on Positions and Ideas on how to move forward: sectoralrespondents from local government, business, green economy and one million jobs campaign, and civil society • Open discussion

7. water sector leadership group Draft Programme (continued) 4. Sharing experience and information on initiatives and activities • Tables with examples of what is being done and delegates have time to circulate 5. Possible Additional Aspects • Civil society action theatre outside room to welcome/ draw participants • Short video on Climate Change and Water showing as participants arrive • Tour to local communities engaging in water adaptation in the afternoon

8. water sector leadership group Space for common positions to emerge For example, the need to/for: • ensure public systems are functional and can cope with the additional pressure from climate change; • improved protection of existing water resources and the ecosystems they form part of, and agreements around the use of shared regional sources and conflict management mechanisms; • adaptation funds that: • are non-profit and transformative insofar as new systems of water management, extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal are encouraged. • cover additional costs that climate change brings to water provision (new sources, re-enforcing infrastructure, etc.) as well as alternative water technologies, and assistance with community based adaptation;

9. Space for common positions to emerge • expose false mitigation and adaptation solutions that have a harmful impact on water and people’s livelihoods; and • mitigation within water sector, such as solar pumps and alternative waste-water treatment such as algal ponding.