FONPLATA took part in the inauguration of the Casa do Saneamento in Belém, State of Pará, Brazil, a space spearheaded by FUNASA (National Health Foundation). The event brought together ministries, federal agencies, municipalities, international organizations, and civil society to align efforts around basic sanitation, environmental health, and climate adaptation in preparation for COP30.

Representing the Bank, Miguel Fernández and Carolina Vera participated in the panels “Challenges of Basic Sanitation in the Face of the Climate Crisis” and “Sanitation and Climate Change,” contributing to this multi-stakeholder platform for convergence and cooperation that led to the drafting of the Letter from Belém on Basic Sanitation, Health, and Climate Justice.

The key messages shared during the panels reflect FONPLATA’s institutional vision:

• Sanitation as critical infrastructure for climate adaptation: Many small and medium-sized cities — with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants — face outdated networks, insufficient drainage, and growing risks from droughts and floods.
• Resilient, science-based investment: It is urgent to strengthen local capacities, integrate nature-based solutions, and plan using climate data to reduce risks and health-related costs.
• Institutional convergence: No single actor can tackle sanitation challenges alone; cooperation among all levels of government, development banks, regulators, and communities is critical.
• Climate justice and territorial equity: Priority must be given to rural and vulnerable populations who face greater exposure to pollution and lack access to basic services.

In this context, we welcomed the launch of the third edition of the report Sanitation and Climate Change: Guidelines for Water and Sewerage Service Providers to Address Adverse Events, developed by AESBE (Brazilian Association of State Sanitation Companies) with support from FONPLATA. This is a concrete contribution to strengthening the sector’s capacity to respond to the growing impacts of water and climate crises.

For FONPLATA, the Casa do Saneamento embodies the spirit of building with partners committed to transforming sanitation into a driver of public health, water resilience, and inclusive development.

10/03/2025