Water Solutions #3 – Risk and Resilience

Introduction

In the Water Solutions webinars, we take a deep dive into the four subthemes for the Amsterdam International Water Week in November. Together with scientist, innovators, and experts from cities, utilities, industry and agriculture we bring new perspectives and insights to the table. This third webinar focus on Risk and Resilience. We deepen our understanding further around disasters like floods and droughts which are prominent challenges around the world. We bring together wide range of experts from cities, industries and utilities, scientists, practititioners and innovators addressing these challenges and providing solutions.

The essential focus of this subtheme is on adaptive and resilience designs of water infrastructure to address challenges of water quality, floods and droughts. The subtheme also highlights the importance of availability and access to data-driven early warning and implementing systems. Therefore in order to strengthen the preparedness around disasters, reduce risks and build resilience in systems and affected communities; financial investors need to lead.

Recording Water Solutions #3

Within this program

Program

Introduction

Deepening the sub-thematic understanding, asking the main questions, and unfolding the program set-up.  

The essential focus of this subtheme is on adaptive and resilience designs of water infrastructure to address challenges of water quality, floods, and droughts. The subtheme also highlights the importance of availability and access to data-driven early warning and implementing systems. This section will explain the relevance of the subject and connect it with the efforts done in Climate risks, resilience, and adaptation at the Global level. The purpose of the webinar and good practices underlying the sub-thematic focus will also be explained. 

Urban Climate resilience and adaptation 

Following up on the outcomes of Climate Adaptation Summit 2021, the steps forward, and sharing good practices and examples from the C40 cities program in resilient, adaptive, and water-safe cities.  

Learning about the results of the Climate Adaptation Summit 2021 and the next steps will lead us to our next discussion. The focus here is regarding the adaptive ability, resilient designing and implementation, and sharing good practices from cities. Utilization and accessibility to predictive data monitoring systems in dealing with disaster risk preparedness, building resilience not only in cities but also linking water utilities through relevant cases and examples. Primarily floods and droughts are the focus in disaster risk reduction and preparedness for the sub-theme. How can these good practices overcome challenges in implementation and be scaled up? 

Learning through examples of good practices  

Introducing examples from the Building with Nature approach, adaptation for medium and small-sized cities, and implemented blue-green infrastructural solutions with regional stakeholder collaboration. 

There are challenges in water infrastructure solutions as a combination of political, structural, financial, and ecological complexities. Learning by examples will help understand the obstacles, enabling active dialogue between relevant stakeholders, overcoming those challenges, and implementing integrated solutions. The three examples shared in this section are: 

1. “Building with Nature” approach implemented in Indonesia and now replicating in other regions. This is an innovative idea implemented from hydraulic engineering combined with the Nature-based solutions and uncertainties that prevail. EcoShape will be representing the case and share examples. 
2. American Flood Coalition and Adaptation for All (ARCADIS) have collaborated with local governments and other organizations to support them in adapting to climate change. Examples from their work in Florida, USA will be shared. The focus will be on integrating climate resilience and disaster response for small and medium cities, the potential of scaling up, and current outcomes. 
3. Effective integrated solutions at the local level to reduce the impacts of weather extremes through local stakeholder dialogue and inclusion. This case will be shared by Resilio who is a Blue-green smart rooftops designer and implementer in Amsterdam and currently at the stage of expanding to other areas 

Financial investments in water projects and Linking Global city networks  

Introducing current European and International financial tools active in global water projects (perspective from European Investment Bank). Connecting the dots by initiating an active dialogue to link AIWW Community with C40, 1000 Cities Adapt Now (CAN), Resilient Cities Network, and Adaptation for All Community. 

Learning about the European Investment perspective, currently implemented tools and processes in climate-resilient water projects will spearhead the discussion further. How will these investments be translated to small and medium cities? Enabling an active dialogue between C40, 1000 CAN, Resilient Cities Network, Adaptation for All, and AIWW community by triggering them on working together. How can each of these networks add value to the others? How can these networks be linked together with financial tools and mechanisms to accelerate SDG targets? How can Nature-based solutions integrated in water projects develop a compelling business case to overcome funding challenges? 

This active discussion will direct the participants into an understanding of what goes behind these global networks, risks, and investment in water projects, and commonalities to bring it all together.