CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER

The report emphasizes that freshwater systems are the primary conduits for climate impacts and critical levers for adaptation. It highlights a severe decline in freshwater biodiversity, noting an 83% average drop in species populations between 1970 and 2014. The document argues that traditional 'grey' infrastructure often undermines natural resilience and proposes 'nature-based solutions'—such as wetland restoration and reforestation—to mitigate floods, secure food and energy supplies, and protect vulnerable communities. It specifically calls for a 'New Deal for Nature and People' and the 'Bankable Water Solutions' initiative to redirect finance toward sustainable, basin-scale water management.

• Freshwater biodiversity is declining at a significantly faster rate than marine or terrestrial species, with an average population decline of 83% between 1970 and 2014. One-third of all freshwater species assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction.
• Climate change impacts freshwater ecosystems by altering the quantity, quality, and timing of water supplies through factors such as variations in rainfall intensity, shifts from snow to rain, rising sea levels, and higher water temperatures.
• Freshwater ecosystems are vital for global food security; rivers irrigate 62% of all irrigated land and account for approximately 25% of total global food production. Additionally, river fisheries provide a primary protein source for at least 160 million people.
• Traditional hard infrastructure, such as dykes and levees, can reduce the adaptive capacity of natural ecosystems by cutting floodplain connectivity, which may lead to soil erosion and the collapse of inland fisheries.
• Hydropower is vulnerable to climate change, as seen in Zambia where El Nino in 2016 caused water levels in Lake Kariba to drop to 13% of their usual volume, risking national energy security. Furthermore, dams trap sediment, contributing to the erosion of deltas, such as the Mekong delta.
• Nature-based solutions, including re-afforestation, wetland restoration, and the use of riparian buffers, are recommended to address climate impacts such as increased water stress, more frequent floods, and saltwater encroachment.
• There is a significant investment gap—estimated at US$ 2.5 trillion annually—to meet global SDGs, which the WWF 'Bankable Water Solutions' initiative seeks to address by redirecting finance toward sustainable, basin-scale projects.

APA

WWF International (2019). CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/814/5hpv9797f8_wwf_abi_water_climatechange__final_.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER. 2019. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/814/5hpv9797f8_wwf_abi_water_climatechange__final_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER |date=July 2019 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/814/5hpv9797f8_wwf_abi_water_climatechange__final_.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2019climate, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{CLIMATE CHANGE AND WATER}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2019}, month = jul, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/814/5hpv9797f8_wwf_abi_water_climatechange__final_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }