Climate change is affecting the hydrological cycle and increasing the frequency and intensity of storms. Over 90 per cent of “natural” disasters are weather-water-related, including drought and aridification, wildfires, pollution and floods. They lead to death, injury, loss of livelihoods and displacement and place a huge burden on societies, economies and the environment.
At the historic UN 2023 Water Conference at the General Assembly in New York, Member States took important steps to acknowledge the interactions between climate, resilience, water and the environment.
UNEP works through partnerships such as the Water and Climate Coalition, which brings climate change and water to the same table – tackling them as one.
Healthy freshwater ecosystems – which comprise wetlands, including vegetated wetlands such as peatlands, lakes, groundwater aquifers and rivers – can help to keep the planet cool, mitigate the impact of flooding by filtering and retaining water, and boost resilience through water storage. They also hold a large part of the world’s carbon and other greenhouse gases, making them an essential nature-based solution to combat the climate crisis.
Managing water resources is also key to climate adaptation, and integrated water resources management approaches form a key part of preparing for and increasing resilience to climate shocks.
Blending integrated water resources management and climate adaptation approaches and collecting and sharing best practices can help build resilience to climate change-related disasters.
Drought and degradation of ecosystems can also lead to increased tension over water availability and rights. Understanding the interactions between environmental degradation, climate change, peace and security dynamics forms a core part of UNEP’s work around environment security.
The management of water resources, and the health and protection of water-related ecosystems, therefore, play a strong role in both climate adaptation and in climate mitigation efforts that UNEP supports around the world.
Managing them sustainably and maintaining their functions and services for all users involves a whole-of-society, innovative circularity approach: Wastewater, for example, is a valuable resource that can be reused and nutrients and other contaminants recycled, aiding both adaptation and mitigation efforts.
What we do
To reduce the risks of disasters such as floods and to mitigate the impacts of drought and dry periods, UNEP promotes nature-based solutions for water such as river re-meandering, reforestation, terracing and sand dams.
Through the UNEP-DHI Centre on Water and Environment, building on a partnership over more than 25 years, UNEP helps countries to take climate action based on data and information gathering and tools, and through integrated water resources management.
An important and cost-effective method of adapting to climate change and protecting people and assets is Early Warning Systems for All, which the UN Secretary-General wants to see implemented by 2027. UNEP is contributing to this effort through the UNEP-DHI Partnership which provides online tools such as the Flood and Drought Portal. UNEP is also working on early warning of polluting activities to learn if water and fish are safe for human consumption. Helping farming communities adapt to climate change is another key area of UNEP’s climate-and-water work.
As host of the Global Peatlands Initiative, UNEP promotes the conservation and protection of peatlands which, if they remain intact, are super stores of carbon and biodiversity. UNEP is also working with other partners, such as the World Food Programme, to boost food security in arid areas.
UNEP is the global custodian of SDG indicator 6.5.1 and supports countries to monitor and advance integrated water resources management at all levels. The latest report on progress towards indicator 6.5.1 can be found here. The next progress report is due in 2024.
Lakes help cool the planet. To further the implementation of the United Nations Environment Assembly 5.2 Resolution on Sustainable Lake Management, UNEP has launched a Lakes portal.
