Opportunities for integrating WASH into national climate policy and planning (English-French)

SWA together with GWP, UNICEF and WaterAid co-convened a webinar series to strengthen partners’ knowledge of and capacity to integrate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and climate policies, plans, action, and financing. The first webinar of this 3 part series focused on the "Opportunities for integrating WASH into national climate policy and planning" 

Despite the undeniable link between combatting climate change and ensuring universal access to water and sanitation, such connection is rarely reflected in national climate commitments and policies. This presumably represents the first barrier for practical government-led implementation of climate-resilient water and sanitation action on the ground. In 2021 the WASH sector has unique opportunities to change this situation. The revision and submission of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to be completed by mid-2021, as well as the ongoing formulation of many National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), are excellent entry points for the WASH sector.  

This webinar offered information about the processes and recommendations to ensure the prioritization of WASH in climate plans. This was supported by national case studies from Zambia and Fiji.

Key Thematic Areas

• A generic overview of a NAP process, where countries can find information on their NAP and status of formulation, implementation, stakeholders involved; NAP elements and steps with clear entry points for WASH in the process. Example of successful WASH integration into a NAP.
• NDC Building blocks, information on NDC status, opportunities to introduce water supply and sanitation adaptation needs and mitigation targets; examples of successful WASH integration.
• Analysis of the current integration of WASH into climate policy. Is WASH well reflected in national climate policy?
• Existing WASH-specific approaches and tools to support the integration of WASH into climate policy and plans.
• Country experiences, including successes and challenges, to integrate WASH into climate policy and planning.