Aug 2025
Conference on Building Climate Resilient WASH Systems in India: Adapting to Climate Change
Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems are increasingly at risk from the impacts of climate change. From intensifying floods and droughts to rising temperatures and coastal erosion, climate events are already disrupting infrastructure and service delivery across India. These disruptions disproportionately affect marginalised communities, deepening vulnerabilities and undermining public health, equity, and sustainability goals.
At the same time, WASH systems themselves contribute to emissions, calling for mitigation strategies that reduce environmental impact while enhancing resilience. The sector now faces a dual imperative: to adapt swiftly to a changing climate, and to transform systems for long-term sustainability.
This insights document distils key learnings, innovations, and recommendations from the national Conference on Building Climate Resilient WASH Systems in India, Adapting to Climate Change - which was held in Thiruvananthapuram in November 2024. It highlights practical frameworks, localised solutions, and collaborative strategies to embed climate resilience across governance, infrastructure, finance, data, and capacity-building, ensuring that WASH systems remain inclusive, future-ready, and responsive to India's climate realities.