Targets that promote efficient, nationally and locally appropriate water use will be key to achieving the SDGs
SEATTLE, Washington (20 October 2014)— The proposed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a set of goals drafted by 70 nations and presently being discussed in the UN General Assembly to end poverty and hunger and sustain the environment—will guide social policy and investments for decades to come. Their approach to water management will be key to success, according to a new report issued today. The report from scientists at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) cautions against an overly rigid approach to implementing SDGs, which could limit development options for poor countries, particularly in how they are able to manage critical water resources.
According to the United Nations, water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population in the last century, and an increasing number of regions are chronically short of water. At the same time, water is a crucial resource for meeting the development aspirations of poor countries, especially in Asia and Africa.
