As urban areas face mounting challenges from climate change, water scarcity, and extreme weather, water and sanitation operators are emerging as key agents in advancing climate adaptation and resilient urban water management. Partnerships in Practice for Urban Water Resilience explores their crucial role in fostering sustainable, inclusive, and climate-smart cities. Local governments are the frontline responders to the impacts of climate change and their efforts to become more resilient will need partnerships for them to access technical skills, leading-edge technologies, and investment capital.
The session will examine how effective partnerships among operators, governments, local authorities, the private sector, and other stakeholders can strengthen urban water systems.
Organized by the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA e.V.) and ICLEI -Local Governments for Sustainability e.V., the session will offer practical insights into how such partnerships drive innovative practices, infrastructure modernization, and nature-based solutions, thereby promoting climate resilience.
Aligned with the 6th Global WOPs Congress theme, Solidarity in Action: Stronger Utilities for Thriving Cities, it will also highlight how peer-to-peer cooperation and institutional capacity building support SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals)
Four presentations will showcase good-practice examples from diverse thematic areas and countries, illustrating innovative approaches to urban water resilience.
Following the presentations, participants will take part in an interactive World Café designed to inspire dialogue and co-create solutions for resilient urban water management. Using the Backcasting method, each group will begin by envisioning a desirable future and then work backwards to identify the actions needed to achieve it. Four thematic tables will guide the discussions:
1. Circular Economy and Urban Water Reuse
2. Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Areas
3. Partnerships to Respond to Climate Change
4. Knowledge Transfer and Tools
At each table, participants will address four key questions: What is the future we want to live in? What are current approaches and their limitations? What barriers exist nationally and internationally, and what is missing? What steps are needed to reach the desired future? Insights from all tables will be shared in a concluding plenary, generating actionable recommendations to inform future strategies, peer-learning initiatives, and partnerships for urban water resilience.