Between January 18 and 21, the online event “Water & Beyond” was held. This event provided insights on how to strengthen transboundary cooperation, build broader partnerships and trigger water investments in support of the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the Paris Agreement. The high-level panels consisted of technical sessions on innovative water-related topics and networking opportunities to facilitate contacts between participants with common interests who wish to foster ongoing and/or future cooperation.
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) participated in the panel discussion No. Session 6 "Water and environment: resource management to support nature" together with representatives of the European Commission, FAO, and NGOs that promote circularity in water use. Silvia Saravia Matus, from the Natural Resources Division, presented the relevance and role of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for sustainable and resilient water management in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as to face the main water challenges in the region.
During her intervention, Dr. Saravia Matus emphasized that, in the context of climate change, where the availability of water will present greater variability in the region, it is necessary to improve the adaptive capacity and resilience of water supply systems, moving from a reactive culture to a preventive one. She highlighted the key importance of transition from sectorial water management to a comprehensive, multi-sector and multi-stakeholder (including the environment among water users) that encourages circularity and reuse of the resource.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, one of the NbS that responds to water availability challenges are the Water Funds already implemented in more than 20 cities in the region, among which are Quito, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago. The Water Funds ensure the availability of water resources through the ecological maintenance of watersheds that supply the cities through the restoration of vegetation cover, water management, environmental education and surveillance and monitoring of priority areas, among others. This type of mechanism contributes to the change of the traditional paradigm from “using rivers” to “living with rivers”, giving space to rivers and building with nature.
NbS can also play an important role in wastewater treatment. An example of this are natural and man-made wetlands that reduce organic matter and pathogens through natural processes, and are also among the most productive ecosystems in the world. Other key elements are green urban infrastructure, from revegetation of impervious surfaces to green roofs and constructed wetlands, which can produce positive results in terms of water availability and quality and in reducing flooding. Therefore, it is necessary to move from large infrastructure solutions to technological and nature-based solutions at the appropriate scale. Some examples in the region are biological wastewater treatment plants (in Petrópolis, Brazil), which include the maintenance and recovery of ecosystems while treated wastewaster is used in renewable energy. In Medellín, Colombia, rainwater management and urban revegetation are carried out.
To conclude, the key message of Dr. Saravia Matus' presentation is that we must move towards a joint management of natural resources in a more integrated framework to safeguard ecosystems, particularly water, which is innately interrelated and interdependent with other resources and multiple uses. The adoption of the water-energy-food nexus approach, the principles of circularity as well as NbS are essential to address water challenges in the region.
Briefing note
Briefing note
Briefing note