MINIMAX Competition: discover the four winning solutions that transform water and climate action

Imagine that you are in a future where the negative impacts of hydroclimatic extremes are a common denominator. You start asking yourself: do I have a solution that drives water and climate action?

And then you realise that those solutions are already out there and that teams and organisations have worked on identifying innovative water and climate solutions that MINIMISE the negative impacts of hydroclimatic extremes and MAXIMISE social, economic, and environmental benefits. Those are the winning solutions of the MINIMAX competition.

The four winning solutions are...

After rigirous evaluation by a joint team of the organisers -  Global Water Partnership (GWP), World Metereological Organization (WMO) and Water Climate Coalition (WCC) - we are pleased to announce the four winners of the MINIMAX competition!

Malawi: BASEflow’s Cyclone Idai Flood Response using mWater
Theme: Developing climate smart water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)

Indonesia: Raising Awareness about Inclusive Early Warning in Papua
Theme: Empowering and engaging youth meaningfully

Italy: MOVIDA - models and tools for integrated damage assessment
Theme: Enhancing water and climate finance

Transboundary: Drought Risk in the Danube Region - DriDanube project
Theme: Leveraging water data and information

Launched at a special session at the 9th World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, in March this year, hosted on the GWP Toolbox – IWRM Action Hub, the MINIMAX competition called for innovative water and climate solutions that MINIMISE the negative impacts of hydroclimatic extremes and MAXIMISE social, economic, and environmental benefits.

The expert panel looked at how the submitted solutions contribute to flood and/or drought management, taking the following criteria into account: (1) relevance to the key priority themes (2) contribution to climate adaptation and mitigation (3) potential for scalability and (4) multi-stakeholder participation and inclusion.

Celebrating the winners

As a recognition and celebration for the innovative thinking, the four winners will present their MINIMAX solutions during the Stockholm World Water Week in August 2022. Stay tuned for more!