Experts Push for Innovative Funding to Secure Odisha’s Water Future

Bhubaneswar: Experts, policymakers, and development partners at a high-level Pre-COP Dialogue held in Bhubaneswar today emphasized the urgent need for innovative financing and coordinated action to strengthen Odisha’s Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems against the growing impacts of climate change.

Organized jointly by the Odisha Development Innovation Alliance (ODeIA), Jeevan Rekha Parishad (JRP), and UNICEF Odisha Office, the dialogue comes ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) to be held in Belém, Brazil, next month. Participants highlighted that while the Government of Odisha’s Vision 2036 prioritizes disaster-resilient infrastructure, a transformative approach to climate financing and integrated planning is essential for ensuring sustainable WASH outcomes.

William Hanlon Jr., Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Odisha, set a tone of urgency, stating, “As we approach the 30th UN Climate Change Conference, expectations must meet urgency. Three decades of talks have not protected many communities from worsening climate impacts. COP30 must be intergenerational—driven by youth and focused on practical climate resilience and adaptation. WASH is central to that work.”

Highlighting governance challenges, Shipra Saxena, WASH and Climate Specialist, UNICEF, stressed the importance of inter-departmental coordination, data integration, and joint planning to mainstream climate adaptation. She added that flagship initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and BASUDHA can play a pivotal role in embedding resilience into water security systems.

Prof. Anil Kumar Gupta of IIT Roorkee called for climate risk-informed planning within the WASH sector, linking it to social equity and sustainable development. He also pointed to blended finance models, green and blue bonds, and local governance capacity building as key enablers to accelerate the transition.

The dialogue concluded with a consensus on establishing a multi-stakeholder platform to sustain ongoing policy dialogue, facilitate expert collaboration, and align Odisha’s WASH adaptation efforts with the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) under the Paris Agreement.