November News and Updates

November 2022

Pacific Institute at COP27

Pictured above is Jason Morrison, Pacific Insitute and Vania Paccagnan, CDP

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) has wrapped up in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. While water rose in prominence during COP26 last year in Glasgow, COP27 provided an even more pivotal opportunity for water to be propelled from the margins—to the center—of water climate policy discussions.

The Pacific Institute played a key role advancing the water agenda this year across more than a dozen sessions, many of them conducted remotely.

Building on more than 30 years conducting research, issuing warnings, and advancing solutions to the water-climate crisis, the Pacific Institute participated in more than a dozen COP27 sessions to scale solutions. Topics ranged from nature-based solutions to innovative financing. Through its leadership of the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate, the Pacific Institute also debuted new tools, including the Water Action Hub 4.0 and the Water Resilience Assessment Framework Corporate Guidance.

Watch replays of #COP27 sessions

Water Efficiency Research Featured in Google Keyword Blog

A Pacific Institute-led project in California is expected to save 6.4 million gallons of water per year, reducing water use and bills for low-income apartment buildings by over 15 percent. The solution? Finding and fixing leaky toilets using remote sensor technology.

According to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the average household loses up to 10,000 gallons of water every year to leaks, and toilets are one of the biggest culprits. This project convened partners across sectors, including Google, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Sensor Industries to deploy an innovative water-saving solution.

Plans are underway to scale this project to other multi-family housing buildings across the United States, including Arizona, Texas, and New York.

Read more about the project on the Google blog.

Read the blog

New Corporate Guidance Released for Water Resilience Assessment Framework

The Pacific Institute and the CEO Water Mandate have released new Corporate Guidance for the Water Resilience Assessment Framework (WRAF).

The guidance provides private sector water professionals a standard, stepwise approach to measure and enhance resilience across different industries. Practical examples are provided throughout the publication to showcase how each step could be implemented in practice. The first in a series of sector-specific guidance documents, the team behind the corporate guidance is accepting inquiries for pilot testing from interested companies. Contact project coordinator Dr. Ashok Chapagain for details.

Learn more about WRAF

Download the Corporate Guidance

New Publication: Stakeholder Engagement Guide for Nature-Based Solutions

The Pacific Institute and the CEO Water Mandate have released a new publication, "Stakeholder Engagement Guide for Nature-Based Solutions."

This guide takes a pragmatic approach to stakeholder engagement by presenting general principles and best practices that should be considered throughout all stages of a nature-based solution (NBS) project, as well as outlining specific steps for incorporating stakeholder engagement throughout NBS project stages.

The identified principles and best practices include engaging a diverse range of stakeholders; building long-term relationships and trust; communicating with empathy; prioritizing transparency and accountability; co-creating rather than imposing; recognizing mutual benefits; removing barriers to engagement; formalizing relationships; ensuring adequate financial support; and appointing well-trained, knowledgeable facilitators.

Download the NBS Guide

#GivingTuesday Matching Gift

Mark your calendar, November 29, is #GivingTuesday, a global day of philanthropy designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.

This year, we have an exciting opportunity to leverage #GivingTuesday and our water resilience work with a generous matching gift offer from Pacific Institute Board members. Gifts made to the Pacific Institute this #GivingTuesday will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,00! If you are considering a contribution to the Pacific Institute this year, #GivingTuesday is a great way to double the impact of your support for a water resilient future and participate in a global day of giving.

Please visit our website www.pacinst.org to make a contribution or follow us on social media to learn more.

Give Today

Upcoming Speaking Engagement

On December 16, Pacific Institute Senior Researcher Cora Kammeyer will present at the Colorado River Water Users Association 2022 Conference in Las Vegas.

She will be a speaker on the panel "Water Lessons from the Business Community: How Businesses are Adapting to a Less Predictable Future."

Pacific Institute in the News

AP News: EXPLAINER: World Cup Host Qatar Relies on Desalination

CalMatters: How Can California Boost Its Water Supply?

Los Angeles Times: L.A. Water Use Plummets During Hot Summer Amid Calls to Conserve During Drought

New York Times: As Russian Strikes Mount, Ukraine Works to Keep the Lights On

Reuters: How Water Has Been Weaponised in Ukraine

San Francisco Chronicle: Rising Cost of Water Threatens to Leave Some Californians Dry Due to Unpaid-Bill Shutoffs

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