Pitch
Instead of leveraging hundreds of water utilities, liaise with the main state-owned development banks.
Description
Summary
An early warning is not effective without early action. Unfortunately, individuals or policy makers are unable to act, due to lack of funding, will, or technical capacity.
This proposal will focus on water and sanitation infrastructure projects in Brazil but it could be applied to other countries after funding considerations.
In Brazil, state-owned development banks and utilities companies are major investors in infrastructure. This proposal aims to leverage state-owned Brazilian development banks, such as BNDES - Brazilian Development Bank and state-owned bank Caixa Economica Federal, to request projects to include a climate change risk assessment and actions that could help absorb the cost of future hazards.
What actions do you propose?
First, a study will be conducted to identify potential sources of grant funding and targeted grant proposals will be written. Funding could be supported by political leaders of vulnerable states and cities who already recognize the need to enhance the climate resilience to their water and wastewater systems.
Second, a network of experts from academia and industry should be sourced to help utilities adjust their infrastructure projects to include mitigation of climate change hazards.This will be important in promoting the concept to key decision makers in the development banks, who may also inquire about the technical constraints of adding requirements for giving loans.
The third stage will involve preparation for the meeting with executives. A list of best practices for water utilities and business cases of climate change related risks management, such as implementing smart grid technology to assess system conditions in real time and planning utility networks, buildings and equipment to be redundant and resilient.
Finally, meetings will be scheduled with senior executives in the country’s main state-development banks to engage them in a compelling discussion on the benefits of early action in preventing climate change disasters and on the many benefits for society and their organization.
Who will take these actions?
The key actors will be senior executives of Brazilian development banks, water and sanitation project managers and members of this proposal.
Where will these actions be taken?
All actions will take place in Brazil (Brasília, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo).
What are other key benefits?
Once state-owned development banks are on board, it is possible that other sources of financing i.e private equity and government subsidy will adopt the same guidelines.
What are the proposal’s costs?
30,000USD. For first, second and third activities it is estimated a cost of 20,000USD for the purchase of articles, consultancy, contacting local leaders and office expenses. Another 10,000USD will be spent in travel tickets, accommodation and transportation in the last action.
Time line
The proposal will take approximately six months to be implemented. Two months for putting together best practices and contacting experts. Four months for meeting with senior executives.
Related proposals
No related proposals.
References
MIT ClimateCoLab Anticipating Climate Hazards
https://www.climatecolab.org/resources/2017/A2R-Anticipating-Climate-Hazards
NYC Special Initiative for Rebuilding and Resiliency
http://www.nyc.gov/html/sirr/html/report/report.shtml
Private Participation in Infrastructure Database
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' handbook, Early Action > Early Warning,http://www.ifrc.org/Global/Publications/disasters/ew-ea-2008.pdf
Water, Politics and Money by Manuel Schiffler