José Antonio García Belaunde
Representante de CAF para Europa
This article was also published in The Huffington Post
The devastating effects of climate change are increasingly rearing their ugly head around the world. In recent weeks, we have witnessed the socioeconomic impacts of the so-called “cold drop” —heavy floods and river overflows affecting much of Spain and Europe—which has left a number of fatalities and significant destruction to infrastructure, crops, businesses and homes.
Unfortunately, such events are not an isolated phenomenon, but rather a sign of the ravages caused by the exacerbation of climate change. Global temperatures have been increasing over recent years and there has been an alarming rise in floods and droughts, affecting water and food security, as well as the quality of life of the population in many parts of the world.
The great challenges of the future, such as population growth, the rapid pace of urbanization and competition for natural resources, make it all the more pressing to find solutions to the water scarcity problem, as well as its unequal distribution. These challenges will undoubtedly mount over the next few years.
Despite being home to about 30 percent of the planet’s water resources, as well as vast extensions of arable lands and having high potential to generate hydropower, Latin America and the Caribbean still face significant challenges in this regard. As many as 21 million Latin Americans still lack basic access to safe water, while more than 116 million barely receive any, and nearly 83 million lack basic access to sanitation. Moreover, only 30 percent of the wastewater generated in the region is treated. Such problems are bound to worsen over time if the necessary measures are not taken. A recent World Bank study indicates that the region could see as many as 17 million migrants by 2050 for causes such as water scarcity, low agricultural productivity and rising sea levels.
This harsh reality shows not only the need to increase investment in resilient and sustainable infrastructures, but also evinces the urgency to leverage innovation and the use of new technologies to improve project planning, feasibility and maintenance, coupled with strengthened governance and service management mechanisms, as well as funding of effective environmental disaster control plans and public awareness regarding the responsible use of water.
The issues affecting Latin America and the Caribbean vary greatly from country to country. However, the water problem is common to all of them. That is why CAF—development bank of Latin America—is committed to the search of innovative solutions to this problem, as proper water management directly impacts the development of the region, hindering compliance with most of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which deal with economic and social advancement, as well as improvements in health, food production, access to decent housing, energy security, among others.
To honor our commitment to serve as a bridge between Europe—specifically Spain—and Latin America, we will launch the fifth edition of the “Water Dialogues,” which is set to take place at Madrid’s Casa de America on October 2, in an event bringing together various international political figures and water experts, as well as water management representatives, think tanks and private players from all over Latin America and Spain. The gathering will provide one more opportunity to exchange experiences and best practices on the effects of climate change on water management.
