COLOMBO: More than 60 climate and water experts have concluded a three-day International Water Management Institute (IWMI)-IPCC co-sponsored expert meeting in Colombo, underscoring the critical role of water in addressing climate change, adaptation and sustainable development.
The meeting brought together experts to assess advances in scientific knowledge since the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, examine critical evidence and research gaps, and explore how water considerations should be integrated into climate impacts, adaptation and mitigation efforts.
A key message emerging from the discussions was that water cannot be treated as a standalone climate issue. Water connects many of the challenges and solutions at the heart of the climate crisis, including droughts and floods, food and land systems, forests and ecosystems, resilience and sustainable development.
The discussions also emphasized the need to strengthen the scientific evidence base while ensuring that climate and water research is communicated in ways that are accessible and useful to policymakers and the wider public.
IWMI Director General Mark Smith said the world already has substantial evidence showing that water-related risks are intensifying, but called for a more integrated and action-oriented approach.
“We have, collectively, no shortage of evidence that water risks are intensifying. What we need now is a more actionable, integrated and decision-relevant discussion of water’s role in climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience and sustainable development.”
The meeting comes as climate change continues to intensify pressure on water resources in many parts of the world, increasing risks from droughts, floods and other water-related hazards while creating challenges for agriculture, ecosystems and communities.
Experts highlighted the importance of connecting water science with broader climate policy and development planning. Such integration can help governments design responses that simultaneously address climate risks, strengthen resilience and support sustainable management of natural resources.
The discussions also reinforce the growing recognition that effective climate action requires cooperation across scientific disciplines and sectors. Linking water management with food security, ecosystem protection, land use and climate adaptation will be increasingly important as climate risks evolve.
The Colombo meeting ultimately called attention to a central reality of the climate crisis: how societies manage water will be closely linked to their ability to adapt to a changing climate and achieve sustainable development.
