Research compiled in a new 2017 report by CDP and AECOM finds cities join companies to lead on water security development following climate change and urban population pressure.
August 29, 2017: New research from CDP, the international environmental reporting and data non-profit, today reveals that US$9.5 billion worth of city water projects are now open for investment. Released for World Water Week (27 August – 1 September) CDP’s new infographic report ‘Who’s tackling urban water challenges’, produced in partnership with AECOM, the global infrastructure firm, and funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, shows the first and most comprehensive dataset of global water action by cities and companies produced to date. Using information gathered from 569 cities and 1,432 companies, each reporting their water management activity, it illustrates how global cities and companies are responding to the escalating challenge of climate change and urban population growth.
The cities most concerned about their water supply lie in Asia and Oceania (84%), with serious risks also identified in Africa (80%) and Latin America (75%). 63% of North American cities deem climate change a risk to water supply, with fewer cities concerned in Europe (34%). 196 cities reported risks of water stress and scarcity, 132 a risk of declining water quality and 103 a risk of flooding.
For example, in December 2015 Chennai faced the worst flooding from rain storms in the last 100 years. With a population of 7,600,000, many hundreds of people were killed, millions were without clean water and business operations were severely disrupted. The city is now investing in its resiliency with water conservation education, building a storm water management system and additional infrastructure.
Together with US$14 billion of water impacts reported from companies, such as loss of production last year, 62% of cities are now working with companies to address water and climate change issues, with 80 cities seeking US $9.5 billion for 89 water management projects. Water investment opportunities are greatest in Latin America (US$6.7bn), where Quito, Ecuador, is looking for US$800 million to manage their water supply. The city aims to build three hydropower stations and address the contamination of 246km of Quito’s rivers and streams. Development in Latin America is followed by North America (US$2.7bn); Asia and Oceania (US$27.4m); Europe (US$22.3m) and Africa (US$6.19m).
Morgan Gillespy, Head of CDP’s Water Program, said:
“Our report shows just how crucial water management is becoming to our cities. We are seeing critical shifts in leadership from cities and companies in response to the very real threat of flooding, for example, to local economies. Combined with innovation and financial capital, this puts the tipping point for a sustainable economy in reach, and this data shows how important investors are in making this happen. These funds are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of where we must go, with live infrastructure projects currently calling out for US$9.5 billion. Furthermore, in conjunction with investment, we must take a holistic approach to water. Our vision is to achieve a secure and sustainable water supply by 2030 but to get here we need a sharp U-turn in how we manage our natural resources. Water must be recognised as a critical asset at city and board level, so it’s down to us all to build it into our thinking.”
Claire Bonham-Carter, Principal and City Resilience Lead, AECOM notes:
“From our work with cities around the world, water has consistently come up as a key resilience challenge. Many of them, regardless of size, from Mexico City, Mexico, to Berkeley, California, are addressing both long-term water supply issues as well as chronic urban flooding. In thinking about the immediate flooding and future water scarcity issues through a resilience lens, we are helping cities to address issues of socio-economic disparity and environmental justice, in addition to solving their technical challenges.”
Explore how cities and companies are acting on water, the CDP infographic report ‘Who’s tackling urban water challenges’, with case studies and full data is available at www.cdp.net/cities.
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For more information please contact
Jason Marshall
Director, Media Relations
AECOM
t: 1.646.432.8474
e: jason.marshall@aecom.com
Yasmine Svan
ESG Communications
t : +44 (0)7598 148296
e : yasmine@esgcomms
Charlotte Webster
Communications Manager
CDP
t: +44 (0)7990 583307
e: charlotte.Webster@cdp.net
Notes to Editors
1. The full ‘Who’s tackling urban water challenges’ data set is available at www.cdp.net/cities
2. Water data from companies is from the 2016 CDP Water Report, available at www.cdp.net/water
3. City data is from the 2017 reporting cycle, full data available at https://data.cdp.net
About CDP
CDP is an international non-profit that drives companies and governments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Voted number one climate research provider by investors and working with institutional investors with assets of US$100 trillion, we leverage investor and buyer power to motivate companies to disclose and manage their environmental impacts. Nearly 6,000 companies with some 60% of global market capitalization disclosed environmental data through CDP in 2016. This is in addition to the over 500 cities and 100 states and regions who disclosed, making CDP’s platform one of the richest sources of information globally on how companies and governments are driving environmental change. CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, is a founding member of the We Mean Business Coalition. Please follow @CDP.
About AECOM
AECOM is built to deliver a better world. We design, build, finance and operate infrastructure assets for governments, businesses and organizations in more than 150 countries. As a fully integrated firm, we connect knowledge and experience across our global network of experts to help clients solve their most complex challenges. From high-performance buildings and infrastructure, to resilient communities and environments, to stable and secure nations, our work is transformative, differentiated and vital. A Fortune 500 firm, AECOM had revenue of approximately $17.4 billion during fiscal year 2016. See how we deliver what others can only imagine at aecom.com and @AECOM.
