Local Authorities are faced with many competing challenges, exacerbated by population growth, changing consumption patterns and the impacts of climate variability. Ensuring water security and sanitation in cities is key to overcoming those challenges and safeguarding the well-being of city dwellers. However, change can occur only if political will is cultivated and cities have access to sufficient resources and mechanisms guiding them in the development and implementation of sustainable water management strategies at a local level.

In 2017, the World Water Council started a project that aims at identifying the most appropriate financial mechanisms that could better support the development of the sanitation sector throughout the world. The goal of this analysis is to raise awareness about innovative financing instruments to increase sanitation provisions in complement to traditional ones and to involve more actors in the national sanitation financing plans.

Striving for global water security, the World Water Council in collaboration with Ministry of Water Resources of the People’s Republic of China has launched a new evidence-based book to provide decision makers with solutions to implement water security-oriented policies. This book highlights how decisions made within the water sector affect energy and agricultural sectors, as well the environment, and socio-economic development.

Achieving water security requires appropriate investment in infrastructure, capacity building and project development. However, there is a big gap between current investment in these key areas, and the amount that is required if the UN Sustainable Development Goals are to be met by 2030.

2017 was a very busy year for #ClimateIsWater. The initiative and its members participated and hosted a number of successful events in critical forums and conferences in order to strengthen the position of water within the climate negotiations and UNFCCC processes.

The Youth Delegates of the World Water Council have developed the Satellite Events project in partnership with youth-led networks and organizations around the world to facilitate the contribution of young water researchers, professionals and entrepreneurs to the 8th World Water Forum, aiming for a stronger and more unified youth voice. 

As the world celebrates World Toilet Day, we are reminded that, despite worldwide efforts, 2.1 billion people worldwide still lack access to basic sanitation. The situation is becoming even more acute in urban areas because of increasing migration. Basic sanitation is widely recognized to have positive impacts on health and the economy, so why don’t cities do more to improve their sanitation systems?

In view of raising political awareness for water within the climate change discussions, the World Water Council and its partners are engaging in this year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (CoP23), 6-17 November 2017, Bonn, Germany.

The World Water Council, in collaboration with Korea Water Forum and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea, is publishing the fourth and last edition of the Progress Report on Implementation Roadmaps. A final publication on the IRs will be developed for the 8th World Water Forum and will aim at sharing successful case studies, lessons learnt and contribution to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

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