Climate change is no longer a distant threat; it is reshaping how communities access water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) right now. Floods are washing away sanitation systems, droughts are drying up vital water sources, and disease outbreaks are hitting harder and faster. In humanitarian settings, where people are already vulnerable, these shocks can be devastating.

A new study by global WASH experts highlights 11 urgent research and innovation priorities that could transform how humanitarian actors respond in a warming world. The message is simple: we need smarter, more resilient WASH systems and we need them now.

What the Study Found
Drawing insights from nine crisis-affected countries, 310 field practitioners, and 23 global experts, the research identifies practical areas where innovation can make the biggest impact. These include:

• Low-cost water recycling and reuse for drought-stricken regions
• Better understanding of who gets left behind in WASH service access
• Community motivation and behaviour change for climate adaptation
• Stronger links between disease surveillance and WASH action
• Resilient management models for water and sanitation systems
• Greater integration of indigenous knowledge and coping strategies
• New tools for watershed mapping and small-scale desalination

Altogether, the priorities emphasize one thing: WASH must be adaptive, inclusive, and resilient if it's going to stand up to climate stress.

Why This Matters
Humanitarian WASH systems are facing unprecedented pressure. With rising temperatures and increasingly extreme weather, the old ways of designing, managing, and delivering services simply won't work. This research pushes the sector toward solutions that are:

• Locally grounded
• Scientifically informed
• Community-driven
• Technically feasible in low-resource settings

It's a roadmap for innovation and a reminder that resilience isn't optional anymore.