What is the role of freshwater in climate change mitigation? This spring, Swedish Water House will host a webinar series diving into the chapters of the recently launched report “The essential drop to reach Net-Zero: Unpacking Freshwater's Role in Climate Change Mitigation”. The report is the first ever summary showing the connections between freshwater and climate mitigation, and how they are inextricably linked. The report shows that water is much more important in mitigating climate change than previously understood. By considering freshwater in climate mitigation measures, water risks can be avoided, and win-win solutions for water and climate can be used to their fullest potential.
Wastewater collection, treatment, and discharge all contribute to the direct emissions of greenhouse gases from the decomposition of organic matter. In addition, drinking-water and wastewater management are often associated with indirect emissions from energy-intensive processes. Reducing the release of greenhouse gases in wastewater, sanitation, and drinking water processes is therefore a great opportunity for climate change mitigation.
In this first webinar of the series, we present findings from the chapter “Mitigation measures in drinking water and sanitation services”. Chapter lead authors and guests will discuss how improvements in the delivery of drinking water and sanitation services can contribute significantly to climate mitigation solutions.
