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Sanitation and Water for All Joins Water Pavilion Steering Committee at COP27 

Sanitation and Water for All Secretariat
29 Jun 2022

 

Sanitation and Water for All was announced as part of the official Steering Committee for COP27’s Water Pavilion – an important convening space which delivers cutting edge water solutions for effective climate action. 

Also known as the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27 will take place from 6-18 November in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. 

According to organizers, the Water Pavilion is the result of an unprecedented collaboration among over 30 organizations, governments and companies with an interest in water. Countries can also learn more about the central role that water plays in the climate crisis and the need for adaptation of water and sanitation services, highlighting as well untapped opportunities for mitigation.  

The innovative space convenes governments and non-state actors to drive forward urgent action to stop the depletion of freshwater resources and pursue a sustainable and resilient net-zero future. 

Climate variability has long been a reality for many communities across the globe; but today they are being battered by fiercer and more unpredictable weather events.  

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the current climate crisis is primarily human-induced, pushing nature and human-made systems beyond their ability to adapt. Many climate problems are water-related, including floods, droughts, and deteriorating water quality. Already, nearly 40 percent of the global population, or a staggering 3.5 billion people, are highly vulnerable to their impact. That number is expected to exponentially increase over the next few decades.  

Additionally, climate-vulnerable countries have some of the lowest levels of access to water and sanitation in the world. Over two billion people worldwide, or 1 in 4, live in countries where water supply is inadequate. Half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by as early as 2025. 

The Water Pavilion was instituted after COP26, as international climate debates began to focus on water. 

Rather than a standalone event, the Water Pavilion is also intended to be integrated into the broader ambitions of the global water community, including the upcoming 2023 UN Water Conference.  

In addition to SWA, the Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources also announced the following Steering Committee Members including the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation (AGWA), Egypt, the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Germany, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Netherlands, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Tajikistan, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.