Climate Change in Water and Sanitation Utilities

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Climate Change in Water and Sanitation Utilities

Instructors: Alfred Hans Grunwaldt

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

56 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

56 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Recognize the challenges that urban water and sanitation utilities face regarding climate change and sustainability.
Identify strategies to assess climate risks, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy consumption using tools like ECAM.
Identify strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions for water and sanitation utilities to transition to low-carbon operations.

Skills you'll gain

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Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 4 modules in this course

The objective of this course is to support urban water and sanitation utilities in transitioning to climate-resilient management by reducing their carbon emissions. This course, consisting of 4 modules, addresses the concept of climate change, its impacts, risks, and actions that can be employed for its mitigation, specifically within water and sanitation utilities. In this context, an introduction to climate financing is provided, explaining how companies can secure funding for projects that yield climate-related benefits.

Furthermore, a roadmap is developed, focusing on actions that water and sanitation companies can undertake to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. To assess the carbon footprint, measure energy efficiency, and identify opportunities for performance improvement in the urban water sector, the course introduces the first holistic tool in the sector called ECAM, which stands for Energy Performance and Carbon Emissions Assessment and Monitoring Tool. Part of] the material was produced by the Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (WaCCliM) project (2013-2022), a joint initiative between GIZ and the International Water Association (IWA). This project was part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI), financed by the Federal Government of Germany.

In this introductory module of the course, we will delve into fundamental concepts such as climate change. Additionally, we will examine the ways in which water and sanitation companies both influence and are affected by this phenomenon. Finally, we will explore actionable strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

What's included

2 videos14 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt3 plugins

2 videos Total 7 minutes

1.1.2 Greenhouse Effect and Climate Change 3 minutes
1.1.5 What is Meant by a Water Crisis? 4 minutes

14 readings Total 220 minutes

0.1.1 Important Course Information 30 minutes
0.1.2 Meet Your Instructors   30 minutes
1.1.1 What is Climate Change? 10 minutes
1.1.3 The United Nations’ Paris Agreement to Limit Global Warming 10 minutes
1.1.6 Water Availability and Quality 10 minutes
1.1.7 How are Water, Energy, and Climate Change Related?New Reading 10 minutes
1.1.8 Climate Change – Mitigation and Adaptation 10 minutes
1.1.9 Activity: Differences Between Mitigation and Adaptation Measures 10 minutes
1.1.10 Opportunities for Climate Change Mitigation in the Urban Water Sector 10 minutes
1.2.1 Introducing Climate Finance 10 minutes
1.2.2 Additional Climate Benefits 30 minutes
1.2.4 Exercise: Financing Sources 10 minutes
1.3.2 Module Conclusion 30 minutes
1.3.3 Readings and Other Optional Resources 10 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

1.3.1 Evaluation Questionnaire 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

0.1.3 Introduce Yourself to Your Classmates 10 minutes

3 plugins Total 35 minutes

0.1.4 Tell Us About Yourself  10 minutes
1.1.4 Water and Climate 15 minutes
1.2.3 Activity: Getting Financial Resources for an Adaptation Measure 10 minutes

In this module, we will focus on actions that water and sanitation companies can take to reduce their carbon emissions, following a five-step roadmap.

What's included

2 videos4 readings1 assignment4 plugins

2 videos Total 8 minutes

2.1.1 Low-Carbon Urban Water Utility 2 minutes
2.1.8 Recap of the 5 Steps 5 minutes

4 readings Total 60 minutes

2.1.2 How Can Decarbonization Be Integrated into the Urban Water Sector? 10 minutes
2.1.5 Step 3 - Identify Opportunities for Improvement 10 minutes
2.1.10 How Likely Are You to Implement the Roadmap in Your Organization? 10 minutes
2.2.2 Module Conclusion 30 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

2.2.1 Evaluation Questionnaire 30 minutes

4 plugins Total 60 minutes

2.1.3 Step 1 - Motivate Action to Decarbonize 15 minutes
2.1.4 Step 2 - Assess your System with ECAM 15 minutes
2.1.6 Step 4 - Implement Solutions 15 minutes
2.1.7 Step 5 - Monitor Progress 15 minutes

In this module, we will explore the various greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions originating from water and wastewater utilities in the urban water sector. We will also learn how to utilize the ECAM tool to analyze GHG emissions within these companies, with the aim of identifying opportunities for performance improvement and emissions reduction.

What's included

1 video11 readings2 assignments1 plugin

1 video Total 3 minutes

3.2.2 ECAM Tool 3 minutes

11 readings Total 230 minutes

3.1.1 The Impacts of Climate Change in the Urban Water Sector 10 minutes
3.1.3 Types of GHG Emissions Sources within the Urban Water Cycle 10 minutes
3.1.4 Fundamentals of GHG Accounting in the Urban Water Sector 30 minutes
3.2.1 Introduction to ECAM 10 minutes
3.2.3 Benefits of Using ECAM 30 minutes
3.2.4 How to Use ECAM? 10 minutes
3.2.5 Assessing of Reduction Opportunities with ECAM 30 minutes
3.2.6 Example of an Initial Assessment 10 minutes
3.2.7 Initial GHG Assessment 30 minutes
3.2.8 Initial Evaluation of Pump Efficiency of Saint George 30 minutes
3.3.2 Module Conclusion 30 minutes

2 assignments Total 60 minutes

3.3.1 Evaluation Questionnaire 30 minutes
3.1.2 Knowledge Check: Types of GHD Emissions and Their Sources 30 minutes

1 plugin Total 15 minutes

3.1.5 Calculation Exercise 15 minutes

In this final module of the course, we will study what some of the climate risks are for water and wastewater management through available methodologies to assess them, as well as how they can be reduced.

What's included

10 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt6 plugins

10 readings Total 115 minutes

4.1.2 Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience 5 minutes
4.1.3 The IPCC Risk Concept 10 minutes
4.1.4 Actions to Reduce the Risk 10 minutes
4.1.5 Methodologies for Climate Risk Assessment 10 minutes
4.1.6 Disaster and Climate Change Risk Assessment Methodology for IDB Projects 10 minutes
4.1.8 AquaRating and Focused Analisys 10 minutes
4.2.2 Step 2 - Identify Hazards, Vulnerable System Elements, Exposure and Define Critical Thresholds 10 minutes
4.2.3 Step 3 - Apply Climate Projections and Develop Future Scenarios 10 minutes
4.3.2 Request Your Digital Badge!  10 minutes
4.3.3 Module Conclusion 30 minutes

1 assignment Total 30 minutes

4.3.1 Evaluation Questionnaire 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

4.1.7 Forum: How Do You Assess Climate Risks in your Organization? 10 minutes

6 plugins Total 90 minutes

4.1.1 Adaptation to Climate Change 15 minutes
4.2.1 Assess Climate Risks: Step 1 - Define Your System 15 minutes
4.2.4 Step 4 - Analyse the Risk 15 minutes
4.2.5 Step 5 - Identify Adaptation Measures for Decreasing Climate Risks of the Identified Elements 15 minutes
4.2.6 Step 6 - Prioritize Adaptation Measures 15 minutes
4.3.4 What Did You Think of the Course? 15 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(11 ratings)

Alfred Hans Grunwaldt

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo

10 Courses 6,369 learners

Offered by

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo

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