STATEMENT BY SPECIAL ENVOY OF THE CVF PRESIDENCY OF GHANA,
HON. DR. HENRY KOKOFU
Global Commission on the Economics of Water
17 March 2023
The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) welcomes the outcomes of the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. The climate crisis is also a water crisis. The upcoming synthesis report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will confirm the alarming rate at which the world is hurtling past the 1.5c warming target, leading to catastrophic impacts, most often expressed through water, for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.
The report highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to address the water and climate crises together. The CVF acknowledges the important role of water in sustaining life and the critical importance of equitable access to clean water for all people, especially those in vulnerable communities.
As a grouping of the 58 most vulnerable countries to climate change, the CVF is acutely aware of the impacts of climate change on water resources. Our member states face severe and increasing water stress, including droughts, floods, and rising sea levels, which threaten the livelihoods and well-being of millions of people. Climate change exacerbates these existing inequalities and disproportionately affects the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Climate change of up to 1ºC has already eliminated one fifth of the wealth of the CVF in the last two decades and the CVF member states would be 20% wealthier had it not been for climate change and the losses it incurred for poor and vulnerable economies.
The CVF has therefore repeatedly called for urgent and ambitious global action to address climate change, including the need for equitable and sustainable access to water resources. In Ghana, for example, water resources are projected to decline by 25% by 2050 due to climate change. This is why we have highlighted the need for a holistic approach to water management to rebuild trust in the multilateral system and considers the interlinkages between water, energy, food, and health. The CVF has also called for greater investment in adaptation measures and for support to vulnerable countries to enhance their resilience to the impacts of climate change, including through transformative programs such as the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).
The global commission’s report highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to address the water crisis. The CVF supports the commission’s call for a transformative approach to water management that focuses on ensuring equitable access to water for all, while also taking into account the need for sustainable water use and management practices. We welcome the commission’s emphasis on the importance of integrated water management, which recognizes the interlinkages between water, food, and energy systems critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The report also underscores the need for greater investment in water infrastructure and management, particularly in vulnerable countries. The CVF agrees with the commission that investment in water infrastructure must prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable communities and take into account the impacts of climate change on water resources.
The Climate Vulnerable Forum reiterates the urgent need for coordinated action to address the water crisis, particularly in vulnerable countries facing the impacts of climate change. The CVF calls for a transformative approach to water management that prioritizes equitable access to water for all, while also taking into account the need for sustainable water use and management practices. We stand ready to work with the Global Commission on the Economics of Water and our partners to advance these goals and ensure a sustainable future for all.
