We are seriously off track to meet the current goals of the water-related SDGs, especially SDG6 and we are nowhere near ensuring resilient water adaptation to climate change as well as demographic and socioeconomic development for the future.
A major obstacle to provide efficient and sustainable water solutions is the lack of information about the currently available water resources, future availability and demand for food and energy supply. Decision makers are faced with the same dilemma when it comes to flood and drought risks.
Today, 60 % of WMO Member States report declining capabilities in hydrological monitoring and thus in the provision of decision support in the water, food and energy nexus. More than 50 % of countries worldwide have no quality management system for their water related data in place.
Only about 40% of countries worldwide have good flood and drought early warning systems operational. Political decision makers around the world lack a trustworthy information base in order to take decisions that have legal consequences on river basin scales. This situation is unacceptable in the 21st Century and seriously threatens the sustainable development agenda.
The UN SDG6 accelerator framework defines five key areas (Data and Information, Capacity Development, Financing, Innovation, and Good Governance) for mobilizing engagement and ensuring alignment and accountability, not only for UN agencies but with, for and between members, the private sector and civil society.
The water and climate coalition focuses on the two key areas: Data and Information and Capacity Development.
