What are the most Effective Approaches to Accelerating Efficiency, Resilience and Sustainability in Water Management?
In my dialogues with countries and water stakeholders, I consistently emphasize that water is everyone’s responsibility. No single individual, institution or country can address global water challenges alone. Governments, the private sector, academia, civil society organizations and others must all be inclusively engaged in shaping and implementing water management efforts.
A multi-stakeholder approach strengthens ownership by ensuring that all actors are on board in the planning, implementation and evaluation of water solutions. It draws upon the diverse expertise and capacities that each stakeholder brings to the table.
Equally important is a multisectoral approach that integrates water across all dimensions of development. Through integrated water resources management, water can serve as a unifying solution to multiple global challenges, including poverty eradication, climate resilience, food and energy security, disaster risk reduction, and the empowerment of women and youth.
These approaches depend on a robust operational framework. This is where the ‘Triple A’ principle (advocacy, alignment, and acceleration of actions) becomes critical: advocacy to elevate water as a common priority; alignment to bring coherence in all water-related initiatives; and acceleration to fast-track innovation and action.
Lastly, we must not miss the chance to capitalize on the transformative role of technology, in accelerating the efficiency, resilience and sustainability of water management. With technology we can ensure the effective management and use of water. We can produce more — more food, more energy, more economic growth — with less water.
