ISF highlights transformative climate adaptation at SIWW

Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is a leading global platform focused on urban water innovation and solutions.

The event brings researchers, practitioners, and technology providers from right across the water industry. At SIWW they will share recent innovations, advanced technologies, and best practices relating to the immediate challenges facing urban water practitioners.

The 10th edition of SIWW will be held from 18 to 22 June 2024 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore. This event is poised to offer a dynamic exchange of knowledge and foster partnerships that aim to tackle urban water and climate challenges head-on.

A significant highlight of SIWW 2024 is the Water Convention Opening Plenary, where ISF Professor Juliet Willetts will serve as a keynote presenter. Professor Willetts will explore what transformative adaptation to climate change means in the Asia and Pacific region.

In 2023, the world experienced its warmest year on record since 1880, signaling more than just a temperature spike – it’s a wake-up call. Climate change continues to push past planetary boundaries, exacerbating biodiversity loss, land-system changes, and disrupted nitrogen and phosphorus flows, all of which are intricately linked to the water sector. This underscores the urgency for innovative solutions.

It is not surprising that as we move from COP28 to COP29, the focus has shifted from incremental adaptation to transformative adaptation. But what does this concept mean for the Asia and Pacific regions, where access to safe water and sanitation remains unequal?

Climate change exacerbates inequalities, which are pronounced in Asia and the Pacific when it comes to water and sanitation.

– Professor Juliet Willetts, ISF

Professor Willetts will explore this in her keynote speech titled “Transformative Adaptation in Troubled Times: Securing Planetary, Ecosystem, and Human Health.” She will address the pressing need for systemic change, especially in a region facing the highest rate of water-related calamities and significant contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions, including from the water and wastewater sectors.

“Climate change exacerbates inequalities, which are pronounced in Asia and the Pacific when it comes to water and sanitation. Hence the need for more transformative adaptation, challenging dominant approaches and funding mechanisms that exclude those who are most vulnerable,” she explained.

SIWW 2024 aims to forge partnerships that address these urban water and climate challenges. Professor Willetts' keynote speech promises to be a cornerstone of this gathering, offering critical perspectives on transformative adaptation.