Governance

As defined by the UNDP Water Governance Facility, water governance is determined by the political, social, economic, and administrative systems that are in place. These systems can both directly and indirectly affect the use, development, and management of water resources and the delivery of water services delivery at different levels of society. Improving governance for economic, environmental, and social sustainability is possible through the establishment of stronger public and private institutions, policies, legislation, and processes. Topics addressed in this theme include the principles of equity and efficiency, water administration, the roles of government and other stakeholders, and the frameworks to balance water use between socio-economic activities and ecosystems.

Governance Resources

Applying a Cumulative Risk Framework to Drinking Water Assessment: A Commentary

Publication date:
July 13, 2021
The health risks of drinking water contaminants and the economic benefits of drinking water standards are typically assessed one chemical at a time, an approach that misses the health impacts of co-occurring contaminants in drinking water. In contrast, a cumulative risk framework has become common...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
United States

City Residents, Scientists and Policy-Makers: Power in Co-Producing Knowledge

Publication date:
July 13, 2021
The need to merge scientific with societal knowledge in addressing global sustainability challenges has deepened research on a methodology known as co-producing knowledge. This paper draws on case study projects in Africa to discern the forms of power that are navigated by actors when co-producing...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Uganda

Lower Kafue River Basin 2019 Report Card

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
Similar to school report cards, river basin report cards provide performance-driven numeric grades or letters that reflect the status of a river basin on a regular basis. They effectively integrate and synthesize large, and often complex, information into simple scores that can be communicated to...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Zambia

Belize Reef Scorecard

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere, second in size globally only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS) was the first marine World Heritage site in the Caribbean region when inscribed on the World Heritage...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Belize

Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
Water scarcity has created a context of human and societal need wherein water stress has undermined the vitality of rural livelihoods, driven broad migratory movements, become a weapon of war, contributed to the growth of insurgencies and terrorist networks and given rise to increased demand for U...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
Global

Discover Kyrgyzstan: Snow Leopards, Fresh Water, and Climate Change

Publication date:
July 16, 2021
A look at the Sarychat-Ertash State Reserve in the Central Tian Shan Region of the Kyrgyz Republic. This nature reserve is one of Central Asia's most important snow leopard and argali sites but is under severe threat from climate change impacts. This article examines how the WWF Asia High...Read more

World Wildlife Fund Corporate Partnership Report 2020

Publication date:
August 31, 2021
World Wildlife Fund
WWF seeks to work with those who have the greatest potential to reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth and together find solutions to conservation challenges such as deforestation, over-fishing, water scarcity and climate change. The corporate sector drives much of the...Read more
Regional/Country focus:
North America

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