Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Human Livelihoods in the Coastal Zones of Small Island Developing States (CASCADE) Project Stakeholder Panel – Saint Lucia September 25, 2013

Climate Change Impacts on Water and Sanitation in SIDS

Climate Change and Water Security Water resources in SIDS are vulnerable to any changes in climate (both for periods of drought and rainfall) Effect of climate change is also felt in the variation of the amounts of groundwater available for extraction – Low rainfall  droughts – Excessive rainfall  loss of surface water

Findings on effects of CC on water Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in small island developing states - Water shortages faced following strong El Nino of in the islands of Indian and Pacific oceans Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) -Many islands would be exposed to severe water stress under all scenarios National Communications to the UNFCCC - water security complications

Groundwater supplies Availability affected by: - changes in annual rainfall - changes in patterns of extreme precipitation (affecting recharge time) - higher temperatures increase evaporation - greater reliance in countries with little surface water - over extraction from municipalities, agriculture and tourism

Biodiversity Where precip and runoff decreases Drying of streams and water bodies for extended periods Reduced productivity Agriculture Beyond 2-3C Yields are likely to suffer Could prompt expansion of irrigated agriculture Health Flooding Increased incidence of pests and diseases Water and sanitation Increasing populations and urbanisation Could lead to water stress Economic and social implications

Addressing the issues Restructure policies, institutions and infrastructure Develop and implement Integrated Water Resource Management frameworks Promote integrated coastal zone management Individual country action: water conservation, crop management, address supply and demand side of water resources

Planning for the future How will water demands in various sectors change in the future? How will land use change within water resource areas? How much water will actually be available to manage? How will growth affect consumption?

Stakeholder Panels –Goals and Objectives

Effective Management of Resources Requires the incorporation of the managers and the users Needs to reflect the interconnectedness between the users at different levels of spatial scales

Objectives of the Panels Share information on existing and planned uses for the resource, including the governance structure Contribute to the development of the adaptation strategies for water management and community-based action plans Support the development of a community of action for adaptation approaches in the core sites

Composition of the Panels WaterForestry Tourism Civil Society Private Sector Agriculture Coastal Communities

Case Study on Water Resources in Saint Lucia

Ground and Surface Water Volcanic island which does not allow for water collection underground Rivers, streams, wetlands and springs 37 major watersheds; 7 important for water supply 1,524 mm rainfall 3,048 mm rainfall

Water Supply 4 major water supply systems: – North : Roseau Dam/Theobalds Plant and Hill 20 – South : Grace and Beausejour Distribution via integrated network of river intakes, treatment plants and transmission pipelines and distribution systems

Users of the Resource Domestic Largest growing 95% connection rate Decline in reliance on rivers and streams Agriculture Irrigation used in the dry season, but felt to be inefficient Limitations on supply: poor cost recovery, low operating efficiencies, high levels of wastage Tourism Major consumer – increasing over time Dry season = cruise season Hotels installing water-saving devices and demand reduction practices Industry High use in manufacturing – beverages, construction, sand mining, cement making

Governance Water and Sewerage Act, 2004 – Establish a Water Resource Management Agency – Establish a Water and Sewerage Commission Water and Sewerage Commission – provider National Water Policy, 2003 – generate awareness, develop a coordinated approach, achieving fundamental and sustainable water resource use and development

Projects on Water

Coordination between the Project and Stakeholders The panel will be -constituted for one year, -with two face-to-face meetings, webinars, and -interim consultations/interactions via d-group and social media

Sharon Lindo Policy and Resource Officer