Advancing Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in the Water Sector: An Overview of Research from The Water Research Foundation

Abstract Submission: Climate impacts and extreme events are altering our natural hydrologic cycle, creating uncertainty when it comes to the quantity and quality of water resources. Inter-disciplinary research conducted by The Water Research Foundation (WRF) helps the water sector plan for projected climate impacts, advance implementation of climate adaptation strategies, and mitigate related root causes such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of climate related water research at WRF with highlights from a robust research portfolio covering climate adaptation, climate mitigation, and climate risk assessment. In addition, there are several sub-categories in the field of climate adaptation, such as flood / wet weather management, water supply / drought resilience, and wildfire impact mitigation. For example, WRF has been delivering scientific reports and utility-facing support tools to help the water sector cope with more intense storms and extreme weather conditions through holistic wet weather management under climate impacts. In summary, WRF has been at the forefront of research on a new climate paradigm facing utilities and municipalities, offering sound science to help the water sector continue to tackle the challenges as well as to plan for uncertain times. WRF’s One Water research approach helps communities assess potential risks, adapt to the effects on water sources and services, and develop solutions that reduce GHG emissions through holistic climate adaptation and mitigation measures.

Learning Objectives/Expected Outcome (Optional) : (1) To learn the inter-disciplinary research portfolios by The Water Research Foundation (WRF) on climate adaptation and mitigation.
(2) To learn research sub-categories in the field of climate adaptation, such as flood / wet weather management, water supply / drought resilience, and wildfire impact mitigation.
(3) To learn examples of utility-facing support tools to help the water sector advance the practices in climate adaptation and mitigation.