Water takes centre stage on this World Food Day, whose theme is ‘Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.’ The 2023 campaign, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, underscores the pivotal role water plays in securing our food supply. At the recent FAO Rome Water Dialogue, attended by various institutions, delegates, and speakers from around the world, there was a unanimous agreement that this is truly the year of water.

The UN Water Conference held in New York this March, the first of its kind in half a century, marked a turning point in recognising water as a critical issue deserving our immediate attention. From the sessions that I have attended in Rome, it’s become clear that addressing water issues within the confines of the water sector is inadequate. Water knows no boundaries, and is a cross-cutting issue affecting many, if not all, sectors. Food production is indeed one of the sectors most affected by water, and by climate change. A staggering 72% of global freshwater withdrawals are attributed to agriculture, with 16% allocated to municipalities for households and services, and 12% used by industries.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasised the interconnectedness of water, energy, and food as crucial themes leading up to COP 28 later this year in Dubai. Water emerges as a key connector to address these pressing challenges. Climate change, as highlighted by the speakers, has severely disrupted the water cycle, resulting in a surge of extreme weather events, many of which are witnessed around the world, from the recent floods in India to New York. It is often farming and agriculture that bear the most profound impact from extreme water events.

While there are plenty of solutions nowadays, they often remain fragmented and sector-specific. Innovative projects and approaches are emerging to bridge this gap. One of the most interesting takeaways from the Rome Water Dialogue was the ecosystem-based approach, which is a strategy for integrated water management of land, water, and more. Coupled with Nature-based Solutions (NbS), the ecosystem-based approach can be a lifesaver for the benefit of people and nature. Institutions are now calling on governments to design science- and evidence-based policies that harness data and innovation and coordinate across sectors to plan and manage water better. The International Water Association (IWA) and the Nature Conservancy (TNC), for example, have a Memorandum of Understanding to work on NbS mainstreaming in water infrastructure, planning, spending and management among utilities and regulators worldwide. The importance of regulation and governance was also widely discussed and is gaining momentum worldwide as a means to achieve the SDGs. IWA will be hosting the 8^th International Water Regulators Forum in Kigali this December, with the purpose of contextualising water and sanitation regulation in different settings.

Water, energy, and food are inextricably linked, and for policies to be successful, it’s important that they manage often competing interests without compromising the health of our ecosystems. A very useful tool for governments and policymakers to take concrete action is through the National Water Roadmaps. The UN is closely working with governments and communities to build country-owned and country-led National Water Roadmaps to strengthen intersectoral coordination of water at the national level. It also builds the datasets and technology they need to make well-informed decisions.

Another key aspect that was touched on is the integration of water within the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). For example, NGOs and other actors are now implementing measures to empower farmers and indigenous peoples to become agents of water management and be equipped with the right tools to do so sustainably while protecting biodiversity. Managing water starts by selecting and using the right biodiversity in production systems.

Water is not only a resource. Water is food and life itself. It supports all life forms on the planet and therefore it’s crucial to protect and preserve water for a thriving planet. We all need to stop taking water for granted. Making informed decisions about what we consume, wasting less water and food, and preventing pollution are easy things that all of us can do to contribute to positive #WaterAction for a brighter future for food, people, and the planet.

Nature-based Solutions, climate resilience and the circular economy of water are all key topics that will be discussed at the upcoming IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda, on 10-14 December. Join this crucial gathering of water and development experts who will convene to find relevant solutions tailored for low- and middle-income countries. Registration is open.

Urban water management is one of the services most affected by the impacts of climate change, threatening the capacity of service providers to deliver safe water, protect rivers and oceans, as well as protect people and assets from extreme water events such as flooding. 

Water, sanitation and urban drainage utilities can contribute up to 15% to their cities’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, utilities are significant actors in the path towards decarbonisation and net zero. 

With urgent action needed on mitigation, the International Water Association is launching a new webinar series, organised by IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities Initiative in partnership with DANVA, to raise awareness of key sources of GHG emissions from the urban water cycle and showcase pioneering net zero solutions.

With a focus on progress in the Nordics, the series will provide an overview of GHG emissions from wastewater treatment and the relevance of process emissions of nitrous oxide and methane. It will highlight progress made through the Danish national monitoring programmes for nitrous oxide and methane, share actions by progressive utilities and regulators, and provide a space for discussion and collaboration on mitigation. 

The series, structured in four webinars, aims to empower participants to understand where to focus, to develop insights into the monitoring and reduction of GHG emissions and to improve their GHG accounting methodologies and considerations.  

The first webinar ‘Towards a Climate Neutral Water Sector: the Nordic Experience’ takes place on 2 May. The webinar will focus on the main sources of emissions in the urban water cycle. The webinar will also present a recent collaborative document on the Nordic Principles for moving towards a climate-neutral water sector, focusing on GHG accounting approaches and on the importance of developing a common understanding. It will finish with a utility showcase by Bergen Vann, a progressive water utility from Norway that will share exemplary actions. Sign up for free here.  

The second and third webinars will focus on methane and nitrous oxide emissions respectively, sharing learnings from the collaborative Danish national monitoring programmes which have helped drive progress. The webinars will present quantification approaches, findings and successes in emissions reduction to date. The discussion will explore what has driven such progress and how these efforts have led to sustained action and motivated utilities worldwide in monitoring and reducing their emissions. 

The final webinar of the series will offer a systems view. Looking beyond GHG emissions, we will consider the role played by the water sector within planetary boundaries. This will showcase innovative life cycle carbon assessment which is being used in decision-making processes related to resource recovery.  

We invite practitioners, engineers, consultants, students and researchers, operators, and carbon accounting professionals to join the series and engage with IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities initiative to share knowledge and exchange practices for a climate neutral water sector. 

Save the dates!

Towards a Climate Neutral Water Sector: the Nordic Experience

2 May 13:00 BST, 14:00 CET  

Monitoring and mitigating methane: Danish lessons for global action  

26 June  

Monitoring and mitigating nitrous oxide: Danish lessons for global action   

12 September 

Climate Smart Water Futures within Planetary Boundaries  

3 October 

IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities Initiative 

Stakeholders interested in improving their climate resilience while contributing to significant and sustainable reduction of carbon emissions are encouraged to engage with IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities initiative. The initiative aims to deliver value to utilities and inspire the wider water professional community. 

The initiative offers several opportunities, such as: 

• A community of practice around adaptation and mitigation to climate change to support bridging science and practice and trigger the necessary cultural shifts and actions 
• A web platform an online space to share resources and contribute to the wider dissemination of the change agenda 
• A utility leaders peer-to-peer exchange programme to drive decision making towards Climate Smart 
• A Recognition Programme and Climate Smart Vision to inspire and increase awareness & encourage utilities to include climate change in their agendas 

In March this year, UN Water, in collaboration with other UN entities responsible for SDG 6 targets, launched a report to summarise the progress towards achieving universal access to water and sanitation globally by 2030. The report was launched to coincide with World Water Day (22 March), of which IWA is a formal supporter.

The key takeaway from the report is that now, more than ever, we need to champion water. The current pandemic has underscored the urgent need to make progress on water, around a wide range of water issues from hygiene and sanitation, to wastewater monitoring, water and public health, and utility management. What is most required to reach SDG 6 is more multilateral cooperation and stronger partnerships to fill the gaps in the implementation of the various targets. Also, more data reporting at country level is needed to better understand the progress. Now, let’s delve into the details of each target falling under SDG 6.

SDG 6.1 Drinking water, sanitation and hygiene

Currently, it is estimated that 29% of the world population lack access to potable water.  Safely managed drinking water is widely available in high income countries. In the rest of the world, while more and more people have recently gained access to safely managed drinking water, this is not enough, partly as a result of population growth. Progress to achieve this target has also been slow; efforts would need to be quadrupled to meet this target by 2030.

SDG 6.2 Sanitation & Hygiene

According to the latest UN data, 55% of people globally lack access to safely managed sanitation services. Furthermore, the current rate of progress would need to be quadrupled in order to meet the target, no region of the world is on track to fully meet this target, and 2 billion people still lack even basic sanitation services (predominantly in rural areas and low-income countries). The good news is that we are on track to end open defecation by 2030.

In respect to hygiene, some 40% of people still do not have access to handwashing facilities, which are more commonly found in urban settings, and are scarcely present in rural areas and Sub-Saharan Africa. The UN reports that there is currently insufficient data to estimate global trends in access to basic handwashing facilities.

SDG 6.3 Wastewater & Water Quality

Globally, less than 50% of wastewater is safely treated. Current data shows that there is an urgent need to focus on wastewater solutions on a wider and truly global scale. At present, only 75 countries in the world monitor and report data on wastewater treatment. Of these, only 24 countries treat wastewater safely. Data is even scarcer if we consider industrial wastewater – available data on this target only reflects 10% of the global population! More cooperation, data reporting and technology transfer are needed to make sure that wastewater is prioritised accordingly.

There are positive signals related to water quality, showing that the majority (60%) of sources of water are in good condition. It is therefore essential that we preserve these precious sources and that we keep in mind that protection is better than restoration. Efforts related to environmental protection and conservation must be scaled up. The big issue in this case is nutrient pollution, which is a major problem affecting water quality and is caused by agriculture and untreated wastewater.

SDG 6.4 Water use and scarcity

There are very good indicators showing that efficiency in water use is growing proportionally with global growth and development. Efficiency has increased by 4%, which means that we are less dependent on water sources, as we find new ways and technology to reduce water consumption. It must be noted that middle- and low-income countries are those struggling the most with water efficiency.

In terms of water stress, 2.3 billion people live in water stressed areas. Evidence shows a ‘stress belt’ exists from North Africa to the Indian Sub-continent, primarily caused by climatic conditions and population growth. Water leakages and losses, and obsolete agricultural and industrial practices all lead to water misuse and overuse, and therefore inefficiency. Water stress and efficiency, however, can be improved through better resource management and Water Safety Plans. This brings us to the next target of water resources management.

SDG 6.5 Water Resources Management

Things are moving in the right direction, with a 5% increase in integrated water resources management implementation. More countries are getting closer to achieving the target of very high implementation, but the current rate needs to be doubled for all countries to reach SDG 6.5.1. Target 6.5.2 is about transboundary waters, which concern 60% of water sources. Transboundary water cooperation is extremely important for food, energy, peace and integration. Data on this target shows encouragingly high levels of engagement, with most countries submitting reports. However, a huge acceleration of progress is needed. Only 24 countries report all transboundary surface water are covered by operational arrangements, with countries in Europe, North America and Sub-Saharan Africa having the highest levels of cooperation. The data available shows that this indicator is not on track. An eightfold increase in the rate of progress, together with a focus on cooperation and political action, are required to meet the objectives by 2030.

SDG 6.6 Freshwater ecosystems

This unique indicator uses satellite Earth Observation (EO). Data shows that 1/5 of river basins are experiencing very rapid change in their available surface waters (orange for drought, light blue for flooding). We are witnessing a significant change in freshwater ecosystems, which require drastic action for environmental protection, especially targeted around ecosystems like wetlands and mangroves which provide a natural defence against climate change and environmental impacts. Mangroves are known to protect from floods and to store high levels of CO₂. It is estimated that between 80-90% of inland wetlands and 80% of mangroves have been lost, so there is a very urgent need to accelerate efforts to protect these freshwater ecosystems.

Source: Summary Progress Update 2021 on SDG 6, UN Water

SDG 6.A and B International Cooperation and Local Participation

According to the OECD, overseas development assistance (ODA) commitments for water issues has increased by 11%, but disbursements only by 3%. Prioritisation has been directed primarily towards Sub-Saharan Africa, South and South-East Asia.

Only 14 out of 109 reporting countries have high levels of community participation in decision-making processes related to WASH. A positive aspect to note is that the global regions with clearly defined procedures for community engagement are Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Conclusion

Although there has been very good progress especially around water efficiency, water resource management and ending open defecation, most of the targets are not on track and will not be reached by 2030 unless there is a strong and truly global acceleration. Finally, it is very important to highlight the need of data monitoring and reporting – we cannot manage what we cannot measure.

As part of this, IWA is committed to collaborating with international experts and partners on key topics to ensure we meet SDG6 targets. We remain committed to furthering and championing the solutions for a water-wise future, from digitalisation, to technologies for wastewater treatment, citywide inclusive sanitation, and nature-based solutions.

What is needed now is greater action to implement solutions – the right solutions – for our time.  As our Executive Director, Prof. Kala Vairavamoorthy, argues in a recent IWA blog, building water back better has a key role to play in this agenda. Let’s all get together and build water back better.

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IWA SDG Taskforce

IWA SDG Taskforce group on IWA Connect