LocationsKeynote Speech by Mr James George at the 18th World Water Congress
September 13, 2023
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in China, James George, delivered a keynote speech virtually at the 18th World Water Congress.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme in China, it is a great pleasure to join you at the 18th World Water Congress.
We stand at a pivotal moment in history.
At the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it is evident that the Sustainable Development Goals – global goals to ensure the future of people and planet – are in deep peril.
The combined impacts of climate change, conflict, overlapping energy, food, and economic shocks, lingering COVID-19 effects, and the shrinking fiscal space for many countries is pushing the world to the brink and the consequences of this are already emerging across areas critical for sustainable development – including water resources.
SDG 6 calls for universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030. However, climate change, pollution, and mismanagement of resources have hindered this goal.
We are facing a global water emergency.
Water scarcity is on the rise as demand for freshwater is expected to grow by more than 40 percent by 2050.
As of last year, globally, 2.2 billion people still lacked safe drinking water services, 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation services and 2 billion lacked basic hygiene services.
This is not only an environmental concern – it has economic consequences.
As much as 6% of GDP will be lost in some countries by 2050 due to water scarcity which spurs migration and conflict.
The UN 2023 Water Conference and the Water Action Agenda have made important efforts in uniting the world for water, with the Water Action Agenda outlining key commitments and actions that will enable the sharing and development of successful solutions on a global scale.
Following from this, there are four key points that I would like to share for your kind consideration today:
First, decades of experience has shown us that to ensure a future with sustainable water resources, investing in long-term development solutions at the local level is the best, and only option.
While emergency aid is vital to contain the immediate impacts of any crisis, it must be accompanied by support that addresses the root causes of the crisis, builds sustainable paths forward, and ensures continued development progress.
Second, increased financing is absolutely critical.
Currently, $1 trillion is the estimated global cost of achieving SDG6 on clean water and sanitation, equivalent to just around 1% of global GDP.
Yet, financing flows have long been well below the level needed. For example, total official development assistance (ODA) commitments to the water sector have actually decreased since 2015, to just $9.8 billion in 2021.
A new business model and funding architecture for water must be built.
"Progress in the implementation of SDG 6 can help advance the SDGs as a whole across an entire range of dimensions ... That is why we work across more than 100 countries worldwide to support equitable, reliable, and safe access to clean water for all."
Third, transboundary cooperation must be strengthened.
The lakes, rivers, and streams that flow across the surface of our planet and have allowed life in all forms to flourish for millions of years, do not recognize borders.
As a result, the world’s water resources are not distributed evenly, being abundant in some regions and scarce in others.
Countries and regions need to work together to build stronger cooperation to avoid potential disputes and ensure that people have access to clean water, regardless of where they live.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly of all, water is a prerequisite for sustainable development in all forms.
Without water security, people do not have a solid foundation to survive, let alone prosper. In the same way, clean water can also be a means to accelerate other development trajectories.
Indeed, progress in the implementation of SDG 6 can help advance the SDGs as whole across an entire range of dimensions including health, hunger, gender equality, education, livelihoods, industry, and the environment.
At UNDP, we recognize the critical importance of sustainable water resources.
That is why we work across more than 100 countries worldwide to support equitable, reliable, and safe access to clean water for all, through a portfolio of over $3.8 billion.
Here in China, we have worked alongside the Ministry of Water Resources, CICETE, local communities and governments, and the private sector on strengthening water governance for almost 16 years.
Across nearly 50 projects, in more than 20 provinces and covering 3 river basins, our water governance programme has resulted in deploying new and innovative nature-based solutions resulting improvements in sewage treatment, sustainable agriculture, and river basin management, benefitting tens of millions of people, more than half of whom are women and children.
An example of this is the ‘Happy Farmhouse Initiative,’ a zero-energy, low-maintenance, and nature-based solution that treats 350,00 tons of water annually in areas lacking sewage pipelines and treatment infrastructure.
It also allows farmers to diversify their livelihoods by engaging them in eco-tourism, therefore contributing to rural revitalization.
Besides delivering impact on the ground, UNDP has also contributed to the insights to further refine local and national level policymaking, such as the State Council’s Document Number One of 2014, which now incorporates stormwater utilization as a best practice.
Although stormwater may be seen as a destructive force, it can also be a productive resource. By capturing and recycling it, stormwater can increase the water available for irrigation, reducing dependency on limited freshwater supplies.
These and other innovative approaches by local governments and communities, academia, private sector and the global development community are key moving forward.
UNDP remains committed to working with our partners to ensure sustainable water management both in China and around the world.
The issues surrounding water access, security, and quality are development challenges that affect rich and poor countries alike, and addressing them is essential to building a sustainable future for both people and planet.
In closing, I’d like to thank the Ministry of Water Resources and the Organizing Committee of the 18th World Water Congress for providing this unique opportunity for stakeholders to come together and learn from one another regarding such an important topic.
I would also like to thank all our partners in China for their support and contributions over the years to our collective work on advancing sustainable water resource management.
We still face significant challenges in the years ahead as we approach 2030, and the deadline for the SDGs. However, if we act urgently and decisively, together we can solve our global water challenges, and create a sustainable world for everyone, everywhere.
Xie Xie!
