Seminar 2: From flooding to water stress

Water in the city on times of climate change

The second event of the series focuses on the climate change and its impact on the water cycle in the city. More specifically: what do the changes mean for the human right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation? Cities around the world are growing and with them their demand for water is also increasing. This shows how important safe and stable access to drinking water and sanitation is for the survival and well-being of all humanity, especially in times of crisis. Cities are the biggest drivers of water stress; on the other hand, weather extremes threaten increased flooding. Increasingly, cities are reaching their limits. The so-called "Day Zero", i.e. the imminent collapse of the municipal water supply, as exemplified in Cape Town in 2018, makes this impressively clear.

Cities thus have a great public responsibility, which must be mastered through an orientation towards the common good based on the human rights to water and sanitation. Cities are also places where alternative approaches can be exemplified and tested. What (new) cooperations and concepts are needed to strengthen the human rights to water and climate resilience?

Inputs from:

Dr. Rajendra Singh (Environmentalist, « Waterman of India” and Winner of the Stockholm Water Award)

Andreas Giga (Head of Service Organisation of the Future Initiative “Water in the city of tomorrow”, Emschergenossenschaft / Lippeverband)

Christa Hecht (Blue Community)

Moderation:

Samuel Höller (a tip:tap e.V.)

Recording of the event:

https://youtu.be/GDzCAhthbeI (in German)

https://youtu.be/VrqkkoYouzM (in English)