Unveiling the Hidden Crisis: Why the Water Crisis Must Be Included in COP29’s Climate Adaptation Strategy
A
s climate change intensifies, the hidden water crisis threatens billions of people. In
2024, climate change is not just about melting ice caps or rising CO2 levels, it is about
ensuring that the most basic human necessity—clean water—remains accessible. For
COP29 to be truly impactful, water security must be prioritized in the adaptation
agenda, because without water, no future is possible.
Water: The Hidden Crisis of Climate Change
Water scarcity is one of the most pressing and immediate threats of climate change.
According to the United Nations, two billion people lack access to safe drinking water,
and half of the global population faces water shortages yearly (United Nations, n.d.). As
the climate crisis intensifies, these numbers are expected to rise even more. Many
regions will face more frequent and severe droughts, while others will see freshwater
contamination due to rising sea levels, flooding, and pollutants.
The economic consequences of this crisis are vast, particularly in agriculture, industry,
and technology (Damania et al., 2017). Reduced access to clean water lowers crop
yields, disrupts food supplies, and increases prices. Water-dependent industries—such
as manufacturing, energy production, and ICT—experience operational slowdowns,
causing job losses, higher production costs, and economic instability. The health
impacts are equally severe; without access to clean water, the spread of diseases like
cholera becomes more likely, exacerbating health inequalities in vulnerable
communities (Ihua et al., 2024).
Doing nothing will lead to devastating consequences: displacement, food insecurity,
increased health risks, environmental degradation, and conflicts over dwindling
resources. Yet, despite these challenges, the Netherlands, and specifically Leeuwarden
in Fryslân, provides a framework for addressing water scarcity through innovative,
scalable solutions that not only mitigate the impacts of climate change but foster
sustainability for the future.
Leeuwarden: The Capital of Water Technology
As the global water crisis worsens, Leeuwarden, a small city in the Netherlands, is
emerging as a leader in water technology. With the Dutch expertise in water
management, it is home to world-class institutions like Wetsus and the WaterCampus(Wetsus, 2024; WaterCampus, n.d.). These centers foster collaboration between
researchers, entrepreneurs, and students, turning scientific breakthroughs into realworld
solutions.
Leeuwarden is pioneering in clean water technologies with global impact, from circular
water systems to energy-e\icient saltwater conversion. Beyond technology, they use
nature-based solutions, such as wetlands, to filter water. These initiatives blend
ecological conservation with practical water management, illustrating that climate
adaptation is as much about working with nature as it is about technology.
However, Leeuwarden, along with its institutions and companies, cannot tackle the
water crisis alone. To succeed, governments, NGOs, and private companies must
collaborate, and start sharing technologies, knowledge, and resources. And what better
platform to kickstart this global cooperation than COP29?
What COP29 Needs to Do
So, how can COP29 apply these lessons from Leeuwarden globally? First, it’s crucial to
recognize climate change is approaching a point of irreversibility (Giancaterini et al.,
2022; Steinert et al., 2023), emphasizing the urgent need for adaptation. However, the
Global Center on Adaptation demonstrates a declining focus on adaptation with a mere
7% of total climate finance going to adaptation in 2019-2022 and 5% in 2021-2024
(Global Center on Adaptation & Climate Policy Initiative, 2024). While reducing
emissions is critical, we cannot ignore the reality that climate change is already here
and its e\ects are being felt most intensely in vulnerable regions that lack the resources
to adapt. By putting dollars behind promises, COP29 can ensure that innovations in
water technology, like those developed in Fryslân, reach the global stage and are
implemented where they are needed most.
It is important to note that, innovation in general often falls into the trap of pursuing
more—more technology, more production, more consumption—under the assumption
that it leads to progress. However, this approach can backfire by increasing resource
use rather than conserving it. To truly innovate sustainably, we must focus on solutions
that do more with less. As Mahatma Gandhi wisely said, “The world has enough for
everyone’s need, but not for everyone’s greed.” This calls for adopting sustainable
technologies that address today’s challenges while preserving vital resources for future
generations.
Finally, COP29 should prioritize international collaboration. The recent 2024 Water
Technology Week in Leeuwarden united global water experts to discuss innovative
solutions to the clean water crisis. This example serves as a good foundation however,
to implement these solutions, governments, NGOs, and private companies must
cooperate to share technologies and resources. COP29 is an ideal platform for fostering
these partnerships, but it won’t be easy it will require strong political will and a
commitment to climate justice.
A Call to Action: Water Solutions for a Resilient Future
Water is the foundation of life, and without it, all other climate solutions collapse. As
world leaders gather at COP29, they must remember that climate adaptation is not just
about preparing for future impacts it’s about saving lives today. By focusing on water
management solutions and learning from the successes of cities like Leeuwarden, we
can create a future where everyone has access to clean, safe water, no matter how the
climate changes.
This is our moment to influence the conversation on climate adaptation, and we must
take it. The technology exists, the solutions are ready, and the stakes could not be
higher. As COP29 approaches, let’s ensure the vital issue of water security is on the
agenda.
