Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the effect of climate change on water, sanitation and hygiene services in (a) Ethiopia and (b) other climate vulnerable countries.

DFID is supporting the development of climate resilient water and sanitation services in climate vulnerable countries in Africa and Asia. For example, in Ethiopia, DFID has supported investments in water supply schemes which are more resilient to droughts. DFID also plans to support the Government of Ethiopia in improving the management of groundwater, to upgrade water and sanitation infrastructure to make it more resilient, and to build the capability of staff to use climate information.

In Nepal, DFID has supported rural water programmes to implement climate resilient designs and understand the potential impacts of climate change.

We are also working with the World Health Organisation to support Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal and Bangladesh to improve disease surveillance and use water and sanitation safety management tools to reduce the risks of outbreaks of cholera and other diseases which are affected by climate change.