Water Security is under considerable stress in the Asia Pacific region. The stress on the fresh water resources and challenges in accessing water supply are driven by existing pattern of socio-economic growth, rapid urbanization, social inequality, financing gaps and governance issues. Climate change further manifests through water and acts as a stress multiplier exacerbating water insecurity. In the context of increasing inequality Climate Change and water security crisis work as a double whammy for the marginalized people. Around 2.3 billion people were affected by floods and 1.1 billion by droughts during a period of 1995-2015 in the Asia pacific region. Around 1.7 billion people lack access to basic sanitation, with half countries having piped access rates lower than 50% and 80% of wastewater are discharged with little or no treatment in the region. Water is equally important for adaptation and mitigation. Equitable access to water and proper prioritization of water should be part of the national climate adaptation/mitigation strategies. Water insecurity plays out differently in rural, peri-urban and urban areas including dynamics of urban-rural migration due to water stress and accordingly adaptation and mitigation approaches need to differ in each of the geographies. Adaptation and Mitigation in the water sector also need to be seen in the broader context of water-food-energy nexus and specific sectors such as Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH), Agriculture, Industrial waste management coordinating with each other and nested in the realm of integrated water resource management as well as avoiding the pitfalls of an anthropocentric approach.

Disaster risk reduction and building climate resilience of the vulnerable populations is a corner stone of climate justice by investing in the basic services for clean water, decent toilets, good health and hygiene, education and affordable housing to empower people to mitigate risks and strengthen social capital for resilience. An enabling regulatory environment that facilitates source conservation , recycling and reuse of waste water, balancing the usage of ground water and surface water; deterring the pollution of water sources and unsustainable consumption in the industrial processes is required to work out various adaptation and mitigation measures. Behavior change and political will be required in the region for facilitating lifestyle changes for climate justice and water security for all. Investing in robust and sufficient data, knowledge management and monitoring of the water sector at regional, national and local level, acknowledging and strengthening community knowledge and citizen engagement would be a key for decision making and implementing required measures. In this context, it is critical to learn:

• How water insecurity and Climate Change plays out in rural, peri-urban and urban geographies and what are some of the adaptation and mitigation strategies in each of the geographies?
• How access to basic services help in building resilience to mitigate risks of water insecurity and climate change and ensure climate justice for vulnerable populations?
• What regulations, policy and behavior changes required for source conservation, water efficiency, water quality and lifestyle changes?
• How can data and knowledge management be strengthened for decision making and citizen engagement?

Panellists and Co-organisers

1) Arif Jabbar Khan (ArifJabbar@wateraid.org)

Pakistan – Country Director, WaterAid

2) Veena Srinivasan (veena.srinivasan@atree.org)

India – Director and Senior Fellow, CSEI-ATREE

3) Dr. Dwijen Lal Mallick

Bangladesh

4) Hemantha Withanage (hemantha@ejustice.lk)

Sri Lanka – Senior Advisor, Centre for Environmental Justice;

5) Ms. Luna Kansakar (luna.kansakar@gggi.org)

Nepal

6) Joy (joykjjoy2@gmail.com)

India – Soppecom

7) Lajana Manandhar (lajana.manandhar@gmail.com)

Nepal – Regional Convener

8) Dr. Snehalatha Mekala (regionalcoordinator@fansasia.net)

Regional Coordinator, Fresh water Action Network: South Asia

9) Vanita Suneja (vanitasuneja@wateraid.org)

India – Regional Advocacy Manager, Wateraid

10) Avinash Kumar (avinashcold@gmail.com)

India – APSF

11) Vasudha Varadarajan (vasudha130395@gmail.com)

India – Vikalp Sangam, Kalpavriksh