Water Governance and Climate Change: Perspectives for Reduction of Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Vulnerability in Rio De Janeiro Metropolitan Area

This paper presents part of a collaborative research, which integrates Brazilian and French universities, in sustainable water management in urban areas. Our study is located within the interface of the so-called water resources management, that refers to the activities of use, conservation, protection and recuperation of crude waters, in quantity and quality, and water and sanitation services management (water supply, wastewater sewage, rainwater sewage). Thus, we start from the hypothesis that water governance in Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area faces two impasses: the preservation of water resources and the universalization of access to water and sanitation for all urban dwellers. Climate change adds a new challenge: adaptation and adaptive process in relation to water governance.

Even if there are still doubts about the incorporation of climate change scenarios into engineering projects for future water supply and sewage systems, due to uncertainties, this issue is becoming more and more important for planners. Different studies discussing de impacts of climate change in water supply system and in sanitation systems shows that Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area systems presents a series of social, environmental and institutional characteristics that renders them particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate variability and change. On this basis, this paper first aims to investigate policies that are being introduced, by River Basin’s Committees and by state and municipal agencies that are responsible for water resources and water services planning and governance, questioning if they are able to tackle climate change and to make urban water management more sustainable. This research is still in progress, utilizing, above all, resources of a qualitative nature: bibliographic reviews, elaboration of specific studies, conducting interviews and questionnaires among the key actors.