Adaptation through Water 2025

Conclusion Water is a good starting point for private sector companies to evaluate their climate adaptation strategies – accelerating action is crucial. Throughout Southeast Asia, the worsening effects of climate change, most of them water-related, demand action. Besides ongoing mitigation efforts, complementary adaptation actions are increasingly necessary for both public and private sectors. Water deserves the attention of all stakeholders who use it and benefit from it as a common good. Because water underpins all socio-economic development and almost every adaptation system, AtW is a logical and effective approach to minimizing climate impacts and building resilience. Looking at adaptation and resilience through the lens of water provides an accessible and actionable approach for the private sector. Beyond reducing companies’ exposure to risk and ensuring business continuity when extreme events occur, AtW offers compelling commercial opportunities for solution providers and investors alike. This report has presented a number of projects across the world – either underway or recently completed – that showcase opportunities to innovate technologies, services and other solutions in four broad areas: flood damage reduction; water optimization and circularity; financing adaptation- through-water; and water and nature innovation. As the risks and magnitude of climate impacts continue to mount, the case for action is growing, and delayed response increases costs and complexities. Through public-private partnerships, Southeast Asia can accelerate and scale-up AtW action. The successes these partnerships can achieve will spark broader commitment across industries and stakeholders. Importantly, the aggregate impact of multiple adaptation strategies will not only help protect the region’s communities and environment from intensifying water challenges, but also enable both people and planet to thrive in the face of economic growth. Adaptation through Water: Mobilizing the Private Sector for Climate Adaptation in Southeast Asia 27