The Water and Sanitation Institute is now part of the Climate Observatory
The network is made up of 94 organizations that work together for a sustainable future
Published in 12 May 2023
Written by By the IAS team
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The Water and Sanitation Institute (IAS) is now part of the Climate Observatory (OC)network, which was set up in 2002 to bring together civil society organizations to discuss climate change. More than 20 years later, the coalition has 94 organizations, 17 of which, such as the IAS, have recently joined it.
The coordinator of IAS Networks and Partnerships, Mariana Clauzet, took part in the annual meeting of the OC, from 3 to 5 May, in São Paulo. 155 people were present, representing 70 civil society organizations.
The OC executive secretary, Marcio Astrini, highlighted the fact that, even with the change in Brazil’s political scenario, the main point to fight for in the socio-environmental agenda continues to be democracy
“The OC is a diverse and welcoming network, with its 94 organizations together forming a shoal much stronger than any shark. We grew a lot in adversity, and now, in this new cycle, we need to strengthen the network inside and outside Brazil”, he emphasizes..
Marcio Astrini
The annual meeting was held to consolidate and validate the 2023-2026 strategic plan. This document was created over six participatory workshops and dozens of different meetings with the member organizations of the network.
The strategic plan defined four macro-objectives for the next work cycle of the OC: production of knowledge; political participation; international impact; and to engage with society.
“It was evident at the meeting that the climate agenda in Brazil needs to be connected to the social agenda. In the next four years the socio-environmental agenda must work hand in hand with policies to combat hunger and reduce social inequalities. To this end, networking, civil society and social movements must pay attention to policies to support regions and day-to-day issues in Brazil such as include safeguarding food security, health, housing and quality transportation. The climate agenda thus crosses different policies and can cut through contradictions and unite the government”
Mariana Clauzet
According to Clauzet, the Water and Sanitation Institute has the potential to make a great contribution to the Observatory's work in the debates about the centrality of water in climate changewhen we see that the "scarcity" of water is reflected in extreme droughts which jeopardize the production of food or the "excess" of it seen in heavy rains and floods that impact the most vulnerable populations and regions. The lack of sanitation is also linked to gender as it directly impacts girls and womenThe IAS can also provide monitoring data and solutions for public sanitation policies,in addition to strengthening networking with partners involved in the water and basic sanitation agendas.
Observatório do Clima initiatives
Check out some OC initiatives that seek to expand the technical domain on the climate agenda, contribute to the democratization of the debate on climate change in Brazil, incorporating and strengthening social and diverse perspectives in the fight against environmental racism and for climate justice.
