World leaders have 72 hrs to tackle impact of climate change, says water charity

The international charity WaterAid has said the COP26 draft agreement is “not good enough” and that “world leaders have just 72 hours to turn around the life chances of millions facing deadly climate change”.

WaterAid is a global NGO that works on improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

Jonathan Farr, Senior Policy Analyst, WaterAid, said today: “This draft agreement is not good enough. World leaders have just 72 hours to turn around the life chances of millions of men, women and children across the globe who are facing the deadly impacts of climate change. This is a matter of climate justice and the success of COP26 depends on it.

“Poor communities are already picking up the tab for our collective failure to take action on climate change and they are paying that bill through increasing water scarcity. Young girls miss school to fetch water, days are lost to ill-health and lives are cut short because of impacts these communities have done the least to cause.

“They cannot wait while world leaders struggle to put their hands in their pockets to deliver on a decade old promise to provide funds to help poorer countries adapt.

“If we invest in resilient water supplies, we will not only avoid disaster and turn around the life-chances of vulnerable people but set the world on the path of a greener, more prosperous and sustainable future.”