Global Shift: Water at the Core of Climate Adaptation
- The COP-30 climate conference (Belém, Brazil, 2025) emphasised moving from climate promises to measurable adaptation outcomes.
- For the first time, global adaptation indicators incorporated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) within climate accountability frameworks.
- The 59 Belém Adaptation Indicators, under the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience, highlight water systems as central to climate preparedness.
- The focus has shifted from building infrastructure to ensuring systems continue functioning during climate stress.
Climate Change Increasingly Experienced Through Water
- Climate impacts are increasingly visible through water-related disruptions such as floods, droughts, glacial melt, saline intrusion and erratic monsoons.
- These events threaten agriculture, food security and rural livelihoods.
- Agriculture contributes around 40% of anthropogenic methane emissions, mainly through rice cultivation, livestock and organic waste.
- Consequently, water-use efficiency, wastewater reuse, aquifer recharge and resilient sanitation systems are emerging as key climate strategies.
Global Governance: Belém Adaptation Indicators
- The Belém indicators emphasise strengthening climate-resilient water and sanitation systems by reducing water scarcity, managing floods and ensuring universal access to safe water.
- They also focus on risk governance, including universal multi-hazard early warning systems by 2027, improved hydrometeorological services and vulnerability assessments by 2030.
- The framework signals that water security must now be judged by system reliability during extreme climate events.
India’s Institutional Preparedness
- India has begun strengthening water governance through institutional reforms.
- The creation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti (2019) marked a move toward integrated water management, while Water Vision 2047 emphasises sustainability and resilience.
- The National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM 2.0) reflects a shift from groundwater mapping to aquifer-level management planning.
- The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) now integrates river restoration, biodiversity protection and digital monitoring, linking river health with climate resilience.
Key Challenges
- Water scarcity remains acute and unevenly distributed, while many climate disasters in India are linked to water stress.
- Adaptation finance remains uncertain despite global discussions on mobilising $1.3 trillion annually by 2035, limiting long-term resilience planning.
- Digital fragmentation persists despite the availability of hydrological and meteorological data, constraining real-time planning and governance.
Way Forward
- Climate-proof water systems: Infrastructure must undergo climate stress testing, with diversified water sources and reliable service delivery during floods and droughts.
- Strengthen adaptation finance: Water and sanitation projects should be recognised as core climate investments with predictable funding.
- Leverage digital infrastructure: Integrate hydrological data, crop advisories, insurance and financial flows into interoperable digital platforms for real-time decision-making.
- Converge existing missions: Embed climate indicators into national water, sanitation, irrigation and urban reform programmes to align policy efforts.
- Global leadership: By aligning water governance, technology and climate policy, India can demonstrate scalable climate adaptation models for the Global South.
