Climate Change in Water and Sanitation Utilities (edX)

The objective of this course is to support urban water and sanitation utilities in transitioning to climate-resilient management by reducing their carbon emissions. This course, consisting of 4 modules, addresses the concept of climate change, its impacts, risks, and actions that can be employed for its mitigation, specifically within water and sanitation utilities. In this context, an introduction to climate financing is provided, explaining how companies can secure funding for projects that yield climate-related benefits.

Furthermore, a roadmap is developed, focusing on actions that water and sanitation companies can undertake to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To assess the carbon footprint, measure energy efficiency, and identify opportunities for performance improvement in the urban water sector, the course introduces the first holistic tool in the sector called ECAM, which stands for Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring Tool.

Part of the material was produced by the Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (WaCCliM) project (2013-2022), a joint initiative between GIZ and the International Water Association (IWA). This project was part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), financed by the Federal Government of Germany.

This course is " self-paced " so you can register at any time, even if it opened a few days before.

What you'll learn

- Climate Change in the Urban Water Sector.

- Climate Financing.

- Roadmap to a Low-Carbon Urban Water and Sanitation Utilities

- Calculation of GHG Emissions in Water and Sanitation Utilities.

- ECAM Tool and Its Functionalities.

- Climate Risks in Urban Water and Sanitation Utilities.

- Climate Risk Assessment in Urban Water and Sanitation Utilities.

Syllabus

Module 1:Climate Change in the Urban Water Sector

Fundamental concepts of climate change will be explored, including how water and sanitation companies both contribute to this phenomenon and experience its impacts. Furthermore, we will analyze the actions that can be undertaken to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Module 2: Roadmap to a Low-Carbon Urban Water Utility

Actions that low-carbon urban water utilities can take to reduce their carbon emissions based on a five-step roadmap.

Module 3: Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fundamentals of Calculating

Diverse Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions generated within water and wastewater utilities in the urban water sector, and how to utilize the ECAM tool for analyzing GHG emissions within these companies, identifying opportunities to improve their performance and reduce emissions

Module 4: Climate Risks in the Water and Sanitation Sector

Explore climate risks in water and wastewater management, and evaluate available methodologies and reduction strategies.