Water supply and flood management, ranks as one of the top three climate adaptation costs in both the wetter and drier scenario, with Sub-Saharan Africa footing by far the highest costs, says a new World Bank report [1].

The study estimates that over the next 40 years, global net annual adaptation costs for municipal and industrial water supply will be between US$ 10.0 billion (€ 6.8 billion) (wetter scenario) and US$ 11.1 billion (€ 7.5 billion) (drier scenario). In both scenarios, Sub-Saharan Africa will have to pay nearly two-thirds of these costs.

Global adaptation costs for water supply and sanitation infrastructure were estimated to be US$ 700 million (€ 475 million) per year. Average annual adaptation costs in the health sector for diarrhoea and malaria prevention and treatment lie in a narrow range of US$ 1.3–1.6 billion (€ 0.88-1.1 billion) a year over the 40-year period 2010–50.

A large share of the costs of adaptation in the water supply and flood protection sector could be avoided by adopting better management and water tariff policies, the World Bank report suggests. One important lesson is that “development is the most powerful form of adaptation”.

[1] Margulis, S. and Narain, U. (2009). The costs to developing countries of adapting to climate change : new methods and estimates : the global report of the Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change Study. Consultation draft. Washington, DC, USA, World Bank. vii, 102 p. Download full report [PDF file].

Related web sites:

• World Bank - Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change Study
• Co-operative Programme on Water and Climate
• IRC - Climate change and the WASH sector

Related news:

• Climate change: global conference says that water must be included in COP-15 negotiations, Source Weekly, 21 Sep 2009
• Public opinion survey: water tops climate change as global priority, Source Weekly, 21 Sep 2009

Tags: africa, financing, sanitation, water resources management, water supply, water-related diseases