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United Nations World Water Development Report

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UN World Water Development Report series

The World Water Development Report (WWDR) presents a balanced, fact-based and neutral account of the current state of knowledge, describing the challenges and opportunities of improved water management in the context of sustainable development. From 2003 through to 2012, the WWDR was produced and released every three years, following a comprehensive approach. As of 2014, the WWDR transformed into an annual, thematic report, focused on a different strategic water issues each year.

Full list of World Water Development Reports:

2022 - Groundwater (21 March 2022)
2021 - Valuing Water
2020 - Water and Climate Change
2019 - Leaving no One Behind
2018 - Nature-Based Solutions for Water
2017 - Wastewater: The Untapped Resource
2016 - Water and Jobs

  

2015 - Water for a Sustainable World
2014 - Water and Energy
2012 - Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk (WWDR 4)
2009 - Water in a Changing World (WWDR 3)
2006 - Water, a Shared Responsibility (WWDR 2)
2003 - Water for People, Water for Life (WWDR 1)

 

2022 - Groundwater, making the invisible visible

The 2022 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report describes the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater across the world. Groundwater accounts for 99% of liquid freshwater on Earth and is the source of one quarter of all the water used by humans. Large volumes of fresh groundwater are present below ground surface and distributed over the entire globe; however, this volume of freshwater is irregularly distributed over the continents.

 

 

2021 - Valuing Water

The 2021 World Water Development Report on “Valuing Water” assesses the current status of, and challenges to, the valuation of water across different sectors and perspectives, and identifies ways in which valuation can be promoted as a tool to help achieve sustainability.

 

 

 

 

2020 - Water and Climate Change

The 2020 edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR 2020) entitled ‘Water and Climate Change’ aims at helping the water community to tackle the challenges of climate change and informing the climate change community about the opportunities that improved water management offers in terms of adaptation and mitigation.

The 2020 United Nations World Water Development Report focuses on the challenges, opportunities and potential responses to climate change, in terms of adaptation, mitigation and improved resilience that can be addressed through improving water management. Combining climate change adaptation and mitigation, through water, is a win-win proposal, improving the provision of water supply and sanitation services and combating both the causes and impacts of climate change, including disaster risk reduction.

 

2019 - Leaving No One Behind

The 2019 edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR 2019) entitled ‘Leaving No One Behind’ seeks to inform policy and decision-makers, inside and outside the water community, how improvements in water resources management and access to water supply and sanitation services are essential to overcoming poverty and addressing various other social and economic inequities.

In an increasingly globalized world, the impacts of water-related decisions cross borders and affect everyone. Extreme events, environmental degradation, population growth, rapid urbanization, unsustainable and inequitable consumption patterns, conflicts and social unrest, and unprecedented migratory flows are among the interconnected pressures faced by humanity, often hitting those in vulnerable situations the hardest through their impacts on water.

Addressing the inequalities faced by disadvantaged groups requires tailored solutions that take account of the day-to-day realities of people and communities in vulnerable situations. Properly designed and adequately implemented policies, efficient and appropriate use of financial resources, as well as evidence-based knowledge on water resources and water-related issues are also vital to eliminating inequalities in access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

2018 - Nature-Based Solutions for Water

The 2018 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR 2018) seeks to inform policy and decision-makers, inside and outside the water community, about the potential of nature-based solutions (NBS) to address contemporary water management challenges across all sectors, and particularly regarding water for agriculture, sustainable cities, disaster risk reduction and water quality.

The WWDR 2018, titled ‘Nature-Based Solutions for Water’, demonstrates how NBS offer a vital means of moving beyond business-as-usual to address many of the world’s water challenges while simultaneously delivering additional benefits vital to all aspects of sustainable development.

Working with nature improves the management of water resources, helps achieve water security for all, and supports the core aspects of sustainable development.

More information and resources

NBS use or mimic natural processes to enhance water availability (e.g., soil moisture retention, groundwater recharge), improve water quality (e.g., natural and constructed wetlands, riparian buffer strips), and reduce risks associated with water-related disasters and climate change (e.g., floodplain restoration, green roofs).

Currently, water management remains heavily dominated by traditional, human-built (i.e. ‘grey’) infrastructure and the enormous potential for NBS remains under-utilized. NBS include green infrastructure that can substitute, augment or work in parallel with grey infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. The goal is to find the most appropriate blend of green and grey investments to maximize benefits and system efficiency while minimizing costs and trade-offs.

NBS for water are central to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development because they also generate social, economic and environmental co-benefits, including human health and livelihoods, food and energy security, sustainable economic growth, decent jobs, ecosystem rehabilitation and maintenance, and biodiversity. Although NBS are not a panacea, they will play an essential role towards the circular economy and in building a more equitable future for all.

  • Main messages
     
  • Facts and Figures
    English | Français | Español (pdf)
    Italiano | Português (pdf)

    Cite as: "WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). 2018. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2018: Nature-based Solutions. Paris, UNESCO."
     

  • Presentation*
    English (Download link, ppt)
  • Speaking notes
    English | Español (pdf)
    *When quoting or using parts of this presentation, please cite as: “WWAP Presentation: Launch of the UN World Water Development Report 2018”

2017 - Wastewater: The Untapped Resource

The 2017 WWDR demonstrates how improved wastewater management generates social, environmental and economic benefits essential for sustainable development and is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report’s title reflects the critical role that wastewater is poised to play in the context of a circular economy, whereby economic development is balanced with the protection of natural resources and environmental sustainability, and where a cleaner and more sustainable economy has a positive effect on the water quality.

Improved wastewater management generates social, environmental and economic benefits, and is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

More information and resources

Most human activities that use water produce wastewater. As the overall demand for water grows, the quantity of wastewater produced and its overall pollution load are continuously increasing worldwide. Over 80% of the world’s wastewater – and over 95% in some least developed countries – is released to the environment without treatment.

Once discharged into water bodies, wastewater is either diluted, transported downstream or infiltrates into aquifers, where it can affect the quality (and therefore the availability) of freshwater supplies. The ultimate destination of wastewater discharged into rivers and lakes is often the ocean with negative consequences for the marine environment.

The Report seeks to inform decision-makers, government, civil society and private sector, about the importance of managing wastewater as an undervalued and sustainable source of water, energy, nutrients and other recoverable by-products, rather than something to be disposed of or a nuisance to be ignored.

  • Main messages
    English | Français (pdf)
  • Facts and figures
    English | Français | Español (pdf)
    Italiano | Português (pdf)

    Cite as: "WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). 2017. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2017: Wastewater, The Untapped Resource. Paris, UNESCO."
     

  • Presentation*
    English | Español (Download link, ppt)
  • Speaking notes (pdf)
    *When quoting or using parts of this presentation, please cite as: “WWAP Presentation: Launch of the UN World Water Development Report 2017”

     

 

2016 - Water and Jobs

From its collection, through various uses, to its ultimate return to the natural environment, water is a key factor in the development of job opportunities either directly related to its management (supply, infrastructure, wastewater treatment, etc.) or in economic sectors that are heavily water-dependent such as agriculture, fishing, power, industry and health. Furthermore, access to safe drinking water and sanitation promotes an educated and healthy workforce, which constitutes an essential factor for sustained economic growth.

The 2016 WWDR illustrates that nearly 3 out of 4 jobs in the global workforce (3.2 billion people) are moderately or highly dependent upon access to water and water-related services and therefore states that “Water is essential to decent jobs and sustainable development”. Water stress and the lack of decent work can exacerbate security challenges, force migration and undo the progress made in the fight to eradicate poverty.

More information and resources

  • Main messages
    English | Français (pdf)
  • Facts and figures
    English | Français | Español (pdf)
    Italiano | Português (pdf)

    Cite as: "WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). 2016. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2016: Water and Jobs. Paris, UNESCO."
     

  • Presentation*
    English (pdf)
    *When quoting or using parts of this presentation, please cite as: “WWAP Presentation: Launch of the UN World Water Development Report 2016”

     

2015 - Water for a Sustainable World

Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin economic growth, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water has been shown to contribute to improvements in social well being, affecting the livelihoods of billions. Progress towards the achievement of most sustainable development goals requires significant improvement of water management across the globe.

The 2015 WWDR 2015 demonstrates how water resources and services are essential to achieving global sustainability. Taking account of economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability, the report’s forward-looking narrative describes how major challenges and change factors in the modern world will affect – and can be affected by – water resources, services and related benefits.

More information and resources

The report provides a comprehensive overview of major and emerging trends from around the world, with real life examples featured in its complementary case studies volume of how some of the trend‐related challenges have been addressed, their implications for policy‐makers, and further actions that can be taken by stakeholders and the international community.

Cite as: "WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). 2015. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2015: Water for a Sustainable World. Paris, UNESCO."

2014 - Water and Energy

Water and energy are closely interconnected and highly interdependent. Choices made and actions taken in one domain can greatly affect the other, positively or negatively. Trade-offs need to be managed to limit negative impacts and foster opportunities for synergy. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation both directly, as a number of the Millennium Development Goals depend on major improvements in access to water, sanitation, power and energy sources, and indirectly, as water and energy can be binding constraints on economic growth – the ultimate hope for widespread poverty reduction

More information and resources

The 2014 edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR 2014), titled ‘Water and Energy’ is the first that follows the new style – a shorter, annual and thematic report with a focus on different strategic water issues each year.

In view of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals, likely to include increased access to water and energy services, the WWDR 2014 seeks to inform decision-makers (inside and outside the water and energy domains), stakeholders and practitioners about the interlinkages, potential synergies and trade-offs, and to highlight the need for appropriate responses and regulatory frameworks that account for both water and energy priorities.

Cite as: "WWAP (United Nations World Water Assessment Programme). 2014. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2014: Water and Energy. Paris, UNESCO."

wwdr4 - Managing water under uncertainty and risk (2012)

The fourth edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR 4), titled ‘Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk’ is a comprehensive review of the world's freshwater resources and seeks to demonstrate, among other messages, that water underpins all aspects of development, and that a coordinated approach to managing and allocating water is critical. The Report underlines that in order to meet multiple goals water needs to be an intrinsic element in decision-making across the whole development spectrum.

More information and resources

In the World Water Development Report (WWDR) series, the WWDR 4 represents a milestone. While providing a comprehensive assessment of the world’s water resources it also introduces a strong thematic element. Building on the WWDR 3 in the recognition of the externalities, the WWDR 4 elaborates on the interactions between water and the drivers of change. The WWDR 4 describes the major changes, uncertainties, and risks taking place in the world and their links to water resources. It gives account of the status and the trends related to water supplies, uses, management, institutions and financing; highlights regional hotspots, and addresses issues such as gender equality, water-related disasters, health and the role of ecosystems.

The WWDR 4 seeks to offer leaders in government, the private sector and civil society tools and response options to address current and future challenges related to the pressures driving demand for water and affecting its availability. The WWDR 4, which for the first time has been mainstreamed for gender, also seeks to show that water has a central role in all aspects of economic development and social welfare, and that concerted action via a collective approach of the water-using sectors is needed to ensure water’s many benefits are maximized and shared equitably and that water-related development goals are achieved.

Volume 1, ‘Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk’, takes a thematic approach in describing a world which is changing faster than ever in often unforeseeable ways, with increasing uncertainties and risks. In Volume 2, ‘Knowledge Base’, contributions from UN-Water members serve to build a comprehensive review of regional and challenge area issues surrounding the world’s freshwater resources. Like the earlier editions, the WWDR 4 also contains, in Volume 3, ‘Facing the Challenges’, country-level case studies describing the progress made in meeting water-related objectives.

Case studies

Africa
 
 

- Ghana - Kenya-Tanzania: Mara River basin

Arab States
 
 

- Jordan
- Morocco

Asia and the Pacific
 
 

- Australia: Murray-Darling River basin
- China: Yellow River basin
- Korea, Republic of: Jeju Island
- Pakistan (with special reference to the Indus River basin)

Europe and North America
 

- Czech Republic
- France : Marseille Provence Métropole Urban Community
- Italy: Tiber River basin
- Portugal: Tagus River basin
- United States of America: Florida, St Johns River basin

Latin America and the Caribbean

- Costa Rica
- Mexico

Side publications

WWDR3 - Water in a Changing World (2009)

"Water in a Changing World" builds on the work of previous studies, including the two previous WWDRs. However, the third edition of the Report presented several changes from the previous two editions. Unlike the earlier Reports, which were structured along UN agency lines, the third Report presented a new, more holistic format. A number of themes are addressed throughout the entire report, including climate change, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), groundwater, biodiversity, water and migration, water and infrastructure, and biofuels.

More information and resources

 Although some progress has been made in certain countries and regions towards achieving water‐related development goals, very little has changed overall in terms of the recognition of water’s central role in all aspects of economic development and social welfare. Furthermore, the fast and unpredictable changes in world is creating higher levels of uncertainty and increasing risks. As such, the relationship between the quantities of available water and shifting future demands can no longer be approximated solely on the basis of historical experience. These new uncertainties and associated risks create additional challenges to allocating and managing water resources. In this context, concerted action is needed more than ever to ensure that water’s many benefits are maximized and shared equitably. Business as usual is no longer an option. 

This flagship Report analyses the interactions between water and the pressures from decisions that drive demand for water and impact upon its availability. It offers tools and potential response options for leaders in government, the private sector and civil society whose decisions depend upon – and ultimately affect – water, and which can help them address current and future challenges in the face of growing risks and uncertainties. It suggests ways in which institutions can be reformed, capacities improved, and institutional behaviour modified. In addition, it explores possible sources of financing for the investment in water which is urgently needed.

WWAP Side publications from the 4th Report 'Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk'

Scientific Papers:

Insights:

Dialogue series:

WWDR 2 - Water, a Shared Responsibility (2006)

‘Water, a Shared Responsibility’, presents a comprehensive picture of freshwater resources in all regions and most countries of the world, tracks progress towards the water-related targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals, and examines a range of issues including population growth and increasing urbanization, changing ecosystems, food production, health, industry and energy, as well as risk management, valuing and paying for water, and increasing knowledge and capacity. Sixteen case studies look at typical water resource challenges and provide valuable insights into different facets of the water crisis and management responses.

Finally, the report outlines a set of conclusions and recommendations to guide future action and encourage sustainable use, productivity and management of our increasingly scarce freshwater resources.

WWDR1 - Water for People, Water for Life (2003)

‘Water for People, Water for Life’ laid the foundation for subsequent editions of the WWDR, concentrating essentially on evaluating the level of progress made since the Rio Summit (1992) and on developing effective assessment methodologies. The Report encompasses a broad range of components, focusing on human stewardship of freshwater, that complex aggregation of policies, legislation, social programmes, economic approaches and management strategies through which to achieve water sustainability.

The WWDR 1 opens with a chapter describing the water crisis. It then reviews progress and trends, proposes methodologies and indicators for measuring sustainability, and assesses progress in the following 11 challenge areas: water and cities, securing the food supply, water and energy, cleaner industry, meeting basic needs, protecting ecosystems, sharing water resources, valuing water, governing water wisely, ensuring the knowledge base, and managing risks. It also presents seven pilot case studies of river basins representing various social, economic and environmental settings.