Climate Change and Resilience: Strengthening Utilities for Climate Action
Climate change is reshaping the water and sanitation sector. Droughts, floods and extreme weather are placing infrastructure under stress, disrupting essential services and putting lives at risk. Those least able to cope – communities in fragile environments, informal settlements and places with weak infrastructure – are the hardest hit.
This Congress track will highlight the crucial role of water and sanitation operators as frontline actors in climate resilience and mitigation. Utilites protect public health, keep service running during crisis, and cut emissions by improving energy efficiency, switching to renewable energy and capturing methane.
Congress participants will explore how to embed climate resilience into utility planning and operations: integrating risk assessments into infrastructure decisions, harnessing nature-based solutions such as wetlands and water reuse, and designing services that are inclusive and accessible to all.
Achieving these outcomes requires supportive governance, access to climate finance, and strong partnerships, including Water Operators’ Partnerships, to strengthen capacity and scale solutions.
Join us in Bonn at the 6th Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress (27–30 October 2025), where we will examine practical strategies for building climate-smart, equitable and sustainable water and sanitation systems.
Climate Action and Resilience in the Programme
This track features a plenary session with speakers including Hassan Bin Talal, Crown Prince of Jordan and former Chairman of the UN Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB), delivering a video message; Tomáš Taraba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment of Slovakia; Meike van Ginneken, Water Envoy for the Netherlands; and Gino Van Begin, Secretary-General of Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI). Together, they will highlight the leadership role of water and sanitation operators in building climate-resilient services and contributing to national climate goals. This is followed by additional distinguished speakers that will dive deeper into how utilities can plan for climate risks, reduce emissions and build systems that withstand shocks.
From data to strategy: Insights from global initiatives on how data, diagnostics and leadership development help utilities anticipate climate risks and move towards low-carbon operations.
- Partnerships for resilient cities: How utilities, local governments and partners are co-creating climate-smart urban systems through infrastructure upgrades, circular economy approaches and nature-based solutions.
- Working with nature: Practical cases of utilities deploying wetlands, reforestation and other solutions to absorb climate shocks and safeguard resources.
- Water security and regional cooperation: Examples of cross-border partnerships and smart infrastructure that address water scarcity, reuse wastewater and build resilience to shared challenges.
- Turning wastewater into energy: Innovative approaches to monitoring, treatment and energy recovery that cut emissions and strengthen sustainability.
Beyond these highlights, the track includes sessions where participants can engage with case studies, exchange solutions, and co-create strategies for building climate-smart utilities.
Across the discussions, one message stands out: climate action is inseparable from strong utilities. By embedding resilience into every stage of planning and service delivery, operators are helping cities adapt to climate change while protecting the right to safe water and sanitation for all.
Be part of this global movement. Register now for free to attend the 6th Global Water Operators’ Partnerships Congress in Bonn, Germany (27–30 October 2025).