Development of national and sub-national water-related adaptation strategies and building a national adaptation coping capacity will reduce negative impacts of climate change. Non-structural adaptation measures such as IWRM, spatial planning, ecosystems protection, awareness rising are important elements of adaptation strategies. It is further increasingly acknowledged that strategies to cope with climate changes need to be linked to and integrated with strategies for disaster risk management. (Ref. DARE)
Recent years experience has shown that development plans may both reduce or increase the impacts of climate change. This has led to the initiative to climate screen and proof development plans and larger development initiatives. One such example, which DHI has undertaken is screening is to ‘climate proof’ the activities that are implemented with Danish assistance, typically in the form of sector programmes. (Ref. Mali)
Not enough if known about how water and energy are inter-related and even less about how new developments like climate change and climate mitigation through use of alternative energy sources like biofuels will impact the use of both resources. It is important to conduct water and energy resource assessments and to assess national energy and water plans and policies taking into account present and future resources uses and needs. (ref. Vestas and Singapore)