The IWA (International Water Association) Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Program is an initiative designed to identify, recognize, and promote utilities and water service providers that demonstrate exemplary efforts in climate change adaptation and mitigation within the water sector. The program acknowledges utilities that are implementing innovative strategies, technologies, and practices to address the challenges posed by climate change while ensuring the sustainable management of water resources and the provision of reliable and resilient water services to communities.
Climate change poses significant risks and challenges to the water sector, including increased water scarcity, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and deteriorating water quality. Recognizing the urgent need for action, the IWA launched the Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Program to highlight and celebrate utilities that are leading the way in addressing these challenges and building climate resilience in their operations and service delivery.
The Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Program evaluates utilities based on their performance in several key areas related to climate change adaptation and mitigation, including:
- Water resource management: Utilities are assessed on their efforts to conserve and manage water resources sustainably, including water reuse, groundwater replenishment, and watershed protection measures.
- Climate resilience: Utilities’ resilience to climate-related risks and hazards, such as floods, droughts, storms, and heatwaves, is evaluated, including measures to improve infrastructure resilience, emergency response planning, and community engagement.
- Greenhouse gas emissions reduction: Utilities are assessed on their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with water and wastewater treatment processes, energy consumption, and transportation, as well as initiatives to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
- Innovation and technology adoption: Utilities’ adoption of innovative technologies, practices, and approaches to enhance climate resilience and reduce environmental impacts is considered, including the use of smart meters, sensors, data analytics, and digital solutions.
- Stakeholder engagement and collaboration: Utilities’ engagement with stakeholders, including government agencies, communities, NGOs, and academia, to address climate change challenges collaboratively and build partnerships for climate action is evaluated.
Utilities that demonstrate outstanding performance in these areas may be recognized and awarded the Climate Smart Utilities designation by the IWA. The recognition not only celebrates their achievements but also serves to inspire and motivate other utilities to adopt similar approaches and practices to address climate change and build climate resilience in the water sector.
Overall, the IWA Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Program plays a vital role in promoting climate action and sustainability in the water sector by highlighting and rewarding utilities’ efforts to address climate change challenges proactively. By recognizing and sharing best practices and lessons learned, the program contributes to building a more resilient, sustainable, and climate-smart water sector that can better meet the needs of communities and ecosystems in a changing climate.
Applying to the recognition programme is an excellent way to gain recognition and share best practices towards becoming a Climate Smart player in the water sector. The recognition programme offers an outstanding opportunity to reflect on your Climate Smart journey, ensure visibility for your actions to an international audience, and share your aspirations to achieve a climate smart water sector. Joining the recognition programme is also an effective way to facilitate knowledge exchange and international collaboration with other utilities.
An attractive financial incentive package covering flight expenses, conference registration fees, and accommodation in Toronto will be provided to six representatives in total, from each of the top three utilities in the Achiever category, and each of the top three utilities from low-, lower-middle- and upper-middle-income countries in the Entrant category. Through their applications, utilities can reflect on their progress on the Climate Smart journey and compare themselves against several indicators and criteria describing an ideal Climate-Smart Utility under each pillar.
Water and sanitation utilities from around the globe are invited to apply. The application deadline is 20 May 2024.
Benefits
This programme aims to inspire utilities and stakeholders to become increasingly Climate Smart and embrace the cultural shift on three interconnected pillars for action on adaptation, mitigation, and leadership. The main goals of the programme are to:
- Increase awareness, by inviting utilities and IWA members to share best practices through Climate Smart Stories, organising webinars, sharing and publishing relevant publications and research, and through a web platform with resources.
- Inspire action, through the description of an ideal Climate Smart utility, as presented by IWA in the Guidance Framework. IWA also offers a peer-to-peer exchange through the Community of Practice meetings and website.
- Celebrate and share the work in progress, this contributes to increasing awareness of key stakeholders in the transition, and inspire action.
Requirements For The IWA Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Program
- Water and sanitation utilities from around the globe are invited to apply.
- Utilities can only apply for one category.
Method Application
Visit The Official Website to Apply
Application Deadline: May 20, 2024.
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