- Health: Loss of sanitation service due to floods and droughts 1 disproportionately affects incidence of diarrheal disease – cholera countries, cases, frequency and size of outbreak have all increased dramatically in recent years 2. Change in temperature is also causing vector-borne diseases, such a dengue fever, to thrive especially where wastewater management and drainage are poor 3.
- Institutions: Sanitation in schools and health care facilities is vulnerable to climate hazards such as flooding and sea level rise which damage infrastructure. This puts students, teachers, patients, family members, doctors, nurses, etc. at elevated risk of being exposed to diarrheal diseases. Climate events disrupt the education of 40 million children each year.
- Marine Ecosystems: Damaged sanitation systems release sewage into marine ecosystems, damaging mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. These ecosystems sequester carbon at 35 times faster than terrestrial forests 4.
- Emissions: Poorly managed sanitation is a significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter, primarily through methane from sludge. One assessment estimated that nearly 50% of a city’s GHG emissions came from sanitation 5.
Figure 1 Interrelationship of sanitation and the climate crisis.
To address this situation, in 2022 the Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition was launched in response to the joint Call to Action launched at COP27. The Coalition was formalised under the vision of:
Integrating sanitation into global and national climate policy & practice; and
integrating climate into global and national sanitation policy & practice.
The coalition is a growing collaboration of international organisations, research organisations and practitioners working collectively towards improved prioritisation, capacity and investment in climate resilient sanitation. Currently Coalition members represent almost 35 organisations implementing climate resilient sanitation (CRS) programs in almost 80 countries.
Figure 2 CRSC Member Activity Countries
Coalition Members
Activities
Operating at a global level, the Coalition currently has five workstreams:
- Integrate sanitation into global and national climate policy and practice (e.g., development of a sanitation annex for the GCF Global Guidelines).
- Support national governments with tools, evidence, and expertise to incorporate CRS into government policies, plans, and strategies (e.g., National Adaptation Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions).
- Increase the prominence of sanitation in climate discussions through active dissemination of evidence and experiences.
- Attract finance to the climate resilient sanitation sector, including developing the relevant climate rationale.
- Build the evidence base for climate resilient sanitation, including in connection with adjacent sectors (e.g., water supply, solid waste management, agriculture, ecosystem management, education, health, environment, etc.).
Key external products
CRSC - Member Resources A call to action for accelaration Factsheet of Working Group 3 Climate Resilient Urban Sanitation
- Why Sanitation is Critical for Action Towards the Global Methane Pledge
- Linking with climate sector to achieve safely managed and climate-resilient sanitation
- Why we need strong systems to ensure progress on safely managed sanitation
This infographic highlights how climate change threatens sanitation systems and, in turn, public health, ecosystems, and economies. It illustrates ten key impacts - from flooding, storms, and droughts to sea level rise and groundwater contamination- showing how fragile sanitation infrastructure can trigger cascading effects on tourism, marine ecosystems, and essential […] The practical guidelines for designing climate-resilient sanitation projects provide a framework for developing projects that address sanitation and climate change, including adaptation and mitigation strategies. It supports governments and development partners seeking Green Climate Fund (GCF) funding for climate resilient sanitation services, which can better cope with and be restored […] Climate change is evident around the globe, and it requires bold actions now to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Paris Agreement. In addition, water is one of the world’s most essential commodities and demand for water service has increased tremendously following population growth, economic development and changing consuming […] As SIWI World Water Week 2024 kicks off in Stockholm this week, we are reminded of the profound importance of water and sanitation cooperation in fostering peace and security across the globe. This year's theme, "Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future," reminds us of the intricate interconnections […]
Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition (2025)
Climate Resilient Sanitation Infographic
Green Climate Fund (GFC) (2024)
Annex III: Practical guidelines for designing climate-resilient sanitation projects
Water Security Sectoral Guide
Green Climate Fund (2022)
Sectoral guide: Water security
Nasser Tuqan and Elise Mann on behalf of the Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition (CRSC) (2024)
Bridging Borders: The Role of Climate-Resilient Sanitation in Global Peace and Sustainability
CRSC Article - SIWI World Water Week 2024
Webinar Resources
All webinar resources can be collectevily found in the following supage: Climate Resilient Sanitation Coalition Webinars
Juliet Willetts
Professor & Research Director
UTS • Australia
Professor Juliet Willetts leads applied research to improve development policy and practice, addressing social justice and supporting sustainable development. She is a recognised expert in water and sanitation in Asia and the Pacific, also making significant contributions to gender equality, climate resilience, governance and accountability, urban development, monitoring, evaluation and development effectiveness.
Ann Thomas
Senior Advisor, Sanitation and Hygiene (UNICEF)
New York • USA
Ann Thomas is Senior Advisor, Sanitation and Hygiene at UNICEF. She is an environmental engineer with over two decades of development experience, within the UN system and aid organizations in Latin America, Africa and Asia. Her passion is driving strategic policy decisions in the WASH sector – an often-overlooked investment-multiplier in emerging economies – that translate directly to improved health and economic development outcomes.
