Webinar: Cost of climate change adaptation at basin level vs cost of inaction

The American West ravaged by fires and apocalypse skies in San Francisco, jaguars wandering with burnt paws and poisoned by smoke in 29,000 km2 of burning forests and savannas in the Brazilian Pantanal, historic drought affecting the lower basin of the Mekong, the main “reservoir” of freshwater fish in the world, warning of the flood on the Senegal River. Here are a few examples of the environmental crises that follow one another in September 2020 and are all warnings about the dramatic consequences of climate change.

Global funding is woefully insufficient to implement the necessary climate change adaptation measures. And yet, it is clear that the cost of these adaptation measures is derisory compared to the cost of inaction and its socio-economic and environmental consequences.

Adapting to climate change at the river basin scale requires strong and immediate global measures that involve strengthening public policies and local participation. Basin organizations - which aim to promote, plan and finance policies of general interest - play a fundamental role in adapting to climate change, protecting water resources and biodiversity.

PROGRAM

Introduction
Dr. Eric Tardieu, Secretary General, International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO)

Panel of INBO members major witnesses

Moderated by Mr. Alain Bernard, Director of projects, OiEau

From approach of national basins...

• Ms. Catherine Gremillet, Director, National Association of Basins Elected Officials (ANEB), France

• Mr. Sergio Razera, Director, Piracicaba, Capivari e Jundiaí (PCJ) Basins Foundation Agency, Brazil

... to the transboundary approach

​​​​• Ms. Sonja Koeppel, Secretary of the Water Convention,

Co-Secretary of the Water and Health Protocol, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

• Mr. Fawzi Bedredine, Regional coordinator,

Organization for the Development of the Senegal River (OMVS)

Questions / Answers
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Conclusion

Dr. Eric Tardieu, Secretary General, International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO)