The UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) recognizes the valuable contributions of FAO, SIWI,
UNDP, UNESCO-IHP, UN-Habitat, UNIDO, UNU-INWEH, WHO, WMO and the World Bank whose inputs as chapter
lead agencies made the content preparation of this report possible. Sincere appreciation goes to the GWP, ODI,
the UN Regional Commissions (UNECA, UNECE, UNECLAC, UNESCAP and UNESCWA) and the UNESCO Office in
Nairobi for co-leading Chapter 10 on regional perspectives. We also would like to thank those UN-Water members
and partners and all other organizations and individuals who provided useful contributions and comments
throughout the production process.Climate change affects – and is affected by – global water resources. It reduces the predictability of water availability and affects water quality. Climate change also increases the occurrence of extreme weather events, threatening sustainable social-economic development and biodiversity worldwide. This, in turn, has profound implications for water resources. As such, climate change exacerbates the ever-growing challenges associated with the sustainable management of water. Conversely, the way water is managed influences the drivers of climate change.
Water, therefore, is the ultimate connector in the global commitments towards a sustainable future: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are highly dependent on improved water management. Within the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted by UN Member States in March, 2015, water management is essential for reducing the occurrence and impacts of water-related disasters, which have the largest effect on society and people’s livelihoods. And the implementation of the Paris Agreement is dependent on improved management of water resources. This is clearly acknowledged in many countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Adaptation initiatives related to water, for example, have been included as a first priority in many NDCs.
The 2020 edition of the UN World Water Development Report addresses the critical linkages between water and climate change in the context of sustainable development. It also serves as a guide for concrete actions to address these challenges. It outlines actions, supported by examples from across the world, in three areas: first, enabling people to adapt to the impacts of climate change; second, improving the resilience of livelihoods; and, third, reducing the drivers of climate change. Critically, measures to improve the efficiency of water use in agriculture - while at the same time ensuring water access for vulnerable groups such as smallholder farmers - is inextricably linked to multiple SDGs. These include those related to zero hunger (SDG 2), availability and access to water (SDG 6), climate action (SDG 13), and promoting the sustainable use of ecosystem services (SDG 15).
The Report concludes that reducing both the impacts and drivers of climate change will require substantial changes in the way we use and reuse the Earth’s limited water resources. The experience and expertise needed to achieve this goal are brought together in the Report through UN-Water’s Members and Partners. I would like to thank them all for the development of this flagship publication. I am grateful to UNESCO and its World Water Assessment Programme for coordinating the production of this report. I am confident that it will support policy makers in tackling the challenges of climate change by harnessing the wide-ranging opportunities that improved water management offers for adaptation, mitigation and resilience in a rapidly changing world.The financial contribution from the Italian GovernmentPrologue: The state of water resources in the context of climate change
Chapter 1. Climate change, water and sustainable development
Chapter 2. International policy frameworks
Chapter 3. Water availability, infrastructure and ecosystems
Chapter 4. Water-related extremes and risk management
Chapter 5. Human health impacts related to water, sanitation and climate change
Chapter 6. Agriculture and food security
Chapter 7. Energy and industry
Chapter 8. Human settlements
Chapter 9. Water-climate-energy-food-environment nexus
Chapter 10. Regional perspectives
Chapter 11. Water governance for resilience to climate change
Chapter 12. Climate finance: financial end economic considerations
Chapter 13. Technological innovation and citizen knowledge
Chapter 14. Moving forwar
