EventsThis webinar presents the results of a recently published study assessing the contribution of IWRM to the sustainable management of water and the health of water-related ecosystems. The presentation will be followed by three interactive dialogues on case studies in Argentina, Kenya, and Kazakhstan.
Integrated water resources management (IWRM) has been central to water governance and management worldwide since the 1990s. Recognizing the significance of an integrated approach to water management as a way to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), IWRM was formally incorporated as part of the SDG global indicator framework, thus committing the UN and its Member States to achieving high IWRM implementation by 2030 and measuring progress through SDG indicator 6.5.1. Previous studies have attempted to look at how IWRM implementation impacts certain water-related sustainability issues such as water efficiency, demand management, climate change adaptation, and water security. Yet, the existing research – mostly single or small-N studies – does not provide a comprehensive picture regarding the sustainability pattern of IWRM implementation on a global scale.
The study presented in this webinar aims to contribute to discussions on the extent to which the implementation of IWRM improves the sustainable management of water and the health of water-related ecosystems.To achieve this objective, regression analyses were conducted between SDG 6.5.1 (both IWRM (total score) and the dimensions of SDG 6.5.1) and key water-related environmental sustainability indicators: SDG 6.2.1a (access to basic sanita- tion), 6.3.1 (treated wastewater), 6.4.1 (water-use efficiency), 6.4.2 (water stress), 6.6.1 (freshwater ecosystems, although here the trophic state and turbidity variables were used) and 6.3.2 (ambient water quality). The analysis covers 124 countries for all these SDGs, with the exception of SDG 6.3.1 and SDG 6.3.2, which cover 112 and 85 countries, respectively.
