Transitioning to SDG 6: Climate Change Influence on Clean Water and Sanitation in Nepal

Climate change is among the critical global challenges of the twenty-first century. In this context, Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) appears ambitious for water and sanitation. Transitioning to SDGs is coupled with various factors that may prevent the achievement of these goals. This chapter discusses the various impacts of climate change on water and sanitation with evidence from a developing country, Nepal. Nepal being one of the most vulnerable countries in terms of climate change, where almost every sector, including water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), is impacted by climate change. The impact on the WASH sector is evident either in the form of infrastructural damages or reduced water quantity or quality at the source leading to compromised hygiene. Several climate change adaptation practices have been adopted to reduce the impact of climate change on water supply and sanitation, but those locally adapted practices are not necessarily resilient. Considerations of climate-resilient development in the WASH sector are vital to successfully attain SDG 6 while acting on the transition phase of SDGs.