Linkages between WASH, climate change, food security and ecosystems – World

1 Executive summary

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), climate change, food security and ecosystems are all deeply interconnected within a larger complex system. As the interlinked challenges of climate change, food security and ecosystem sustainability become increasingly urgent, the role of WASH in fostering resilient communities and ecosystems cannot be overstated. This report explores the linkages with and the impacts WASH has on three domains: climate resilience, food security and healthy ecosystems (including nature-based solutions).

As the report illustrates, these linkages are mainly expressed through changes in the water cycle and water quality, impacts on human health, and changes in the time and motivation that people have to engage in food production and ecosystem conservation activities. The main drivers behind the linkages include: changes in climate, land use, population, water demand, water management, pollution, access to WASH services and human health.

The positive connections between WASH and climate resilience, food security and healthy ecosystems are most pronounced when people have ‘safely managed’ access to WASH.1 This is especially true for sanitation. Safely managed sanitation ensures the safe disposal of excreta, which helps prevent harm to ecosystems. Access to safely managed WASH also enhances people’s resilience to climate change by ensuring they remain healthy, strong and hydrated. This enables people to withstand climate extremes such as heat, flooding and drought, and actively engage in climate adaptation efforts.

Climate change and increasing demand for water will accentuate interdependencies and their resulting impacts across all domains. Climate extremes are increasing in frequency and intensity, and this report demonstrates how it will become increasingly necessary to consider these interdependencies when designing solutions to combat water insecurity and climate resilience in the future.