Development Alternatives, in partnership with HCLFoundation, convened the side event “Wetlands for Climate Resilience: Community-led Restoration for Water Security and Sustainable Development” during the 9th India International Water Week 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The session brought together voices from government, policy, academia and the development sector to examine how wetland and water-body restoration can strengthen climate resilience and water security.

Across two engaging panels, the conversation moved from policy and planning to community-led action, exploring urban water-body rejuvenation, local stewardship, livelihoods and collaborative approaches to restoration. These discussions were grounded in experiences from ongoing pond rejuvenation efforts across Gautam Buddha Nagar, demonstrating what sustained, community-centred restoration can look like on the ground.

The discussion closed with a clear message: wetlands are not just ecological assets, but vital systems that sustain water security, biodiversity, livelihoods and climate resilience. Protecting and restoring them will require more than isolated interventions. It calls for long-term collaboration between communities, government, civil society and the private sector, backed by informed policy and local stewardship. The session reaffirmed that when communities are placed at the heart of restoration, wetlands can become powerful anchors of a more water-secure and climate-resilient future.