Water management for climate resilient development
Climate change presents a challenge both through more extreme weather events and long term changes such as increasing temperature and rising sea levels. Understanding and quantifying the impacts of climate hazards and how these will change provides the foundation for adapting to climate change. Our multidisciplinary teams, working with local experts model, map, quantify climate risks and working with stakeholders to identify, prioritise and develop options to enhance resilience.
Understanding climate hazards and their impacts on people and infrastructure
Countries facing rising climate pressures need clear, quantitative insight into how hazards are changing and what this means for people, infrastructure and essential services. For water utilities, this may mean assessing the impacts of drought, planning for growing demand or identifying investments needed to secure supplies in a drier future.
We work with our partners to analyse water resources under multiple climate scenarios, identify vulnerabilities, model supply reliability and co‑design solutions that support long‑term sustainability.
Managing extreme weather risks through modelling and early‑warning systems
Extreme rainfall, cyclones, droughts and storm surges can put lives, assets and services at risk. We help organisations manage these impacts across operational and strategic timeframes. At the operational level, we design early‑warning systems that use real‑time monitoring, satellite data and forecasting models to improve preparedness and emergency response.
Mapping future flood, coastal and drought risks for long‑term planning
At the strategic level, we model and map the effects of sea‑level rise, and coastal, river and urban flooding on communities, infrastructure and ecosystems. This evidence helps decision makers plan investments, protect critical assets and strengthen long‑term resilience.
Embedding green infrastructure surface water systems (SuDS) and rainwater harvesting into climate resilient planning
Using surface water systems to embed green infrastructure and rainwater harvesting systems into urban areas can help alleviate flooding, improve water quality, reduce urban heat, improve urban health and well-being, and support urban ecology – all under threat from rising temperatures, more intense rainfall, and urban intensification.
Turning climate data into actionable plans and decision‑support tools
Clear communication is essential for turning climate science into meaningful action. Whether we are preparing high‑level adaptation priorities or building geospatial dashboards and decision‑support tools, we work closely with stakeholders to ensure our insights can be embedded into plans, policies and day‑to‑day decision making.
Expertise in water management for climate resilient development
Assess supply, demand and ecological needs under drought and future climate scenarios.
Use of state-of-the-art models to map flood hazards in urban, river and coastal settings, supporting risk assessments and adaptation planning.
We create flexible, long‑term adaptation pathways that help decision makers plan for uncertainty and adjust to evolving climate risks.
Model and assess water supply systems to allow interventions to be developed that reduce water losses to improve continuity and financial sustainability.
Combine flood hazard data with exposed built and natural assets to calculate impacts and risks to critical infrastructure, ecosystems and communities at risk to enable adaptation actions to be prioritised.
Real‑time early‑warning systems for floods, cyclones and droughts, combining monitoring, forecasting and decision‑support tools.
Web‑based mapping platforms and tools that communicate climate and risk information clearly and support evidence‑based decisions.
Design strategies and plans that help governments, utilities and communities adapt to a changing climate.
Integrated capacity development and tailored training courses to meet a wide range of stakeholder needs.
Image credit: Russell Watkins/DFID
Get in touch
George Woolhouse
