The Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme
The recognition programme offers an outstanding opportunity to self-reflect on the utility’s Climate Smart journey, present actions to an international audience, and share aspirations to achieve a climate smart water sector. The first edition of the IWA Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme was launched in 2022. The second edition in 2023 will be held at the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition on 10-14 December 2023 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The 2023 edition has a special focus on low- and middle-income countries and seeks to raise awareness of the steps being taken by water and sanitation utilities operating in challenging conditions to respond to climate change. This initiative seeks to recognise ambitious and innovative utilities in low- and middle-income countries that are leading the way towards a low carbon water and sanitation sector, embracing the change needed to adapt to and mitigate climate change while raising awareness among citizens and industries, engaging regulators, and inspiring other utilities to take action.
The second edition is supported by AfWASA.
The main goals of the programme are to:
- Increase awareness, by inviting utilities and IWA members to share the best practices through Climate Smart Stories, organising webinars, sharing and publishing relevant publications and research, and through a web platform with resources.
- Inspire action, by encouraging utilities to improve their climate resilience and adaptation, and by sharing Climate Smart narratives, steps and best practices, as presented in the Application Guidance. IWA also offers a peer-to-peer exchange platform through the Community of Practice meetings and website.
- Celebrate the work in progress: the recognition programme is an excellent way to gain recognition and share best practices towards becoming a Climate Smart player in the water sector. This also contributes to increasing awareness and inspire action.
Results of the 2023 Edition
The application window for the recognition programme closed in October 2023 with a total of 35 applications received from 18 low- and middle-income countries,* highlighting a broad outreach of the initiative. The applications represent a diverse array of utilities facing common yet unique challenges and solutions.
Following a robust review, 20 applications in total are being recognised as Climate Smart, based on the framework defined by IWA (i.e., the application submitted has been regarded sound and worth to be shared with the IWA community by majority of the jury). Out of these 20 applications, 10 were considered outstanding by the jury, as the actions presented are inspiring and ambitious considering their local context. One application has been given a special recognition for the outstanding climate smart actions in collaboration with utilities in the Ganges basin. Each application was reviewed by three different expert, independent jury members.
The results of the 2023 Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme are:
- Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos, Argentina (outstanding recognition)
- Baguio Water District, Philippines
- Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, India
- Bayawan Water District, Philippines
- Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, India (outstanding recognition)
- Ekurhuleni Water Care Company, South Africa
- Eswatini Water Service Corporation, Eswatini
- Ghana Water, Ghana (outstanding recognition)
- Guma Valley Water Company, Sierra Leone
- Karad Municipal Council, India (outstanding recognition)
- Khulna Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Bangladesh
- Kisumu Water and Sanitation Company, Kenya (outstanding recognition)
- Maynilad Water Services, Philippines (outstanding recognition)
- Musoma Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Authority, Tanzania
- Nakuru Rural Water and Sanitation Company, Kenya (outstanding recognition)
- Namibia Water Corporation, Namibia (outstanding recognition)
- National Mission for Clean Ganga under Ministry of Jal Shakti, India (special recognition)
- National Water Supply & Drainage Board, Sri Lanka (outstanding recognition)
- Obras Sanitarias Mar del Plata, Argentina (outstanding recognition)
- Water Corporation of Odisha, India
Jury Members 2023
| Amanda | Lake | Jacobs |
| Jonathan | Gene | GIZ |
| Natalia | Flescher | Iguá Saneamento S.A |
| Sarah Monica | Bergado | Manila Water |
| Priscillah | Oluch | Malindi Water and Sewerage Company |
| Hasin | Jahan | WaterAid |
| Jacob | Amengor | Ghana Water Limited |
| Yang | Villa | Asian Development Bank |
| Gustaff | Chikasema | Lilongwe Water Board |
| Lungi | Zuma | Ethekwini Municipality |
| Gahi | Narcisse | ISC-HUB |
| Juan | Lervasi | AySA |
| Srinivas | Chary | ASCI |
| Getrude | Salano | Malindi Water and Sewerage Company |
Results of the 2022 Edition
The first edition of the Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme was launched in April 2022 and the recognition event formally took place during the IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition on 11-15 September 2022 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The application window for the first recognition programme closed in July 2022 with 56 applications received from 34 countries and 2 territories, highlighting a truly global outreach of the programme.
The programme has received applications from utilities in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Germany, Honduras, India, Italy, Macao, Malawi, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Somalia, Spain, Uganda, UK, USA and Yemen. The applications represent a diverse array of realities and contexts.
Following a robust review, 42 applications submitted by utilities will be recognised and celebrated through the IWA Climate Smart Recognition Programme. Find out more.
