New York, United States · 24 March 2023 — The United Nations convened its first conference on water in nearly 50 years from 22 to 24 March 2023 at its New York headquarters, bringing together governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and researchers to address a deepening global water crisis. The conference's primary outcome — the Water Action Agenda — collected over 700 voluntary commitments by its conclusion, a number that grew to over 830 in the following year, with reported financial commitments reaching approximately USD $77.2 billion.
The event was formally titled the UN 2023 Water Conference — Midterm Comprehensive Review of the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Decade for Action, "Water for Sustainable Development," 2018–2028. It was co-hosted by the Governments of Tajikistan and the Netherlands.
Why the Conference Mattered
The last UN conference dedicated to water was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 1977. In the 46 years that followed, the global population nearly doubled, water demand increased dramatically, and climate change intensified the hydrological cycle — yet no comparable high-level intergovernmental meeting on water was convened.
During those decades, the UN adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and subsequently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which include SDG 6: "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all." But progress toward SDG 6 has been chronically off-track. The 2023 conference was intended to serve as a midterm review and a catalyst for accelerated action.
The Scale of the Global Water Crisis
The statistics presented at the conference painted a stark picture:
- Drinking water: 2 billion people lack safely managed drinking water services (26% of the global population).
- Sanitation: 3.6 billion people lack safely managed sanitation (46% of the global population).
- Hygiene: 2.3 billion people lack basic hygiene services at home.
- Water scarcity: Water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the global population, a figure projected to rise.
- Transboundary cooperation: Only 24 of the world's 310 transboundary river and lake basins have operational arrangements for cooperation.
| Indicator | Current Status | SDG 6 Target (2030) |
|---|---|---|
| Safely managed drinking water | 2 billion lack access | Universal access |
| Safely managed sanitation | 3.6 billion lack access | Universal access |
| Basic hygiene at home | 2.3 billion lack access | Universal access |
| Wastewater safely treated | ~58% untreated globally | Substantially increase |
| Water-use efficiency | Improving but insufficient | Substantially increase |
The Water Action Agenda
The conference's central deliverable was the Water Action Agenda — a platform for voluntary commitments from governments, businesses, civil society, and international organizations. Unlike a negotiated political declaration, the Water Action Agenda was designed to be an open, bottom-up mechanism for capturing concrete pledges.
The commitments covered a wide range of actions, including:
- Infrastructure projects: New water supply systems, treatment plants, and irrigation infrastructure, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
- Policy reforms: National water resource management plans, transboundary cooperation agreements, and regulatory frameworks for water quality.
- Financing initiatives: Pledges from development banks, governments, and private sector actors to increase investment in water and sanitation.
- Data and monitoring: Commitments to improve water data collection, including the establishment of a new Global Water Information System.
Strategic "Game-Changers"
The conference highlighted several strategic initiatives intended to serve as "game-changers" in global water governance:
1. A Global Water Information System
The conference called for the establishment of a comprehensive Global Water Information System by 2030, designed to provide standardized, accessible data on water resources, usage, and quality worldwide. Better data is seen as a prerequisite for effective water management planning, particularly in regions where hydrological monitoring networks are sparse or deteriorating.
2. A UN Special Envoy for Water
The conference served as a catalyst for the decision to establish a UN Special Envoy for Water — a high-level advocacy role intended to maintain political momentum on water issues between major conferences and to coordinate UN system-wide action on water. The position was subsequently filled, marking the first time the UN has had a dedicated envoy for water.
3. Integrated Water-Climate Approaches
The conference emphasized the need to link water management more closely with climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, and disaster risk reduction. This includes investing in nature-based solutions for water management — such as wetland restoration, watershed protection, and sustainable groundwater management — and integrating early warning systems for water-related disasters.
Critical Reception and Limitations
While the conference was widely praised for raising the global visibility and political focus on water — a resource that has historically received less attention and funding than energy, health, or education — it also drew criticism.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) and other expert organizations noted that many of the voluntary commitments in the Water Action Agenda lacked clear, quantifiable targets or dedicated, long-term financing. Because the commitments are voluntary rather than legally binding, there is no enforcement mechanism to ensure they are implemented.
The Accountability Gap
The central tension of the conference was between ambition and accountability. The Water Action Agenda's voluntary, bottom-up design enabled broad participation and captured a diverse range of commitments. But without binding targets, independent verification, or consequences for non-delivery, the risk remains that pledges will not translate into the on-the-ground change that the 2 billion people without safe drinking water urgently need.
Several organizations called for the establishment of a robust follow-up and review mechanism — including regular reporting on commitment implementation, independent assessment of progress, and a formal role for civil society in monitoring delivery. Whether such a mechanism materializes will be a key test of the conference's lasting impact.
What Comes Next
The UN General Assembly designated 2018–2028 as the International Decade for Action, "Water for Sustainable Development." The 2023 conference served as its midterm review. The second half of the decade will be critical: achieving SDG 6 by 2030 requires not only the financial commitments pledged in New York but also the political will, institutional capacity, and governance reforms needed to translate funding into functioning water and sanitation systems — particularly in the low-income countries where the gaps are largest.
The establishment of a UN Special Envoy for Water and the push for a Global Water Information System are concrete institutional advances. Whether the momentum generated by the first UN water conference in 46 years can be sustained through the remainder of the decade — and whether the $77.2 billion in pledges materializes as actual investment — will determine whether March 2023 is remembered as a turning point or a missed opportunity.
Sources
- United Nations, UN 2023 Water Conference —
- IISD SDG Knowledge Hub, UN Conference Generates 700+ Voluntary Water Action Agenda Commitments —
- World Resources Institute (WRI), Analysis of UN Water Conference Outcomes —
- UN-Water, Water Action Agenda —
- United Nations, Final Report of the 2023 Water Conference —
- UNEP, Water Resource Management and the 2023 Conference —
FIRAT Editorial Board
Institutional Research Desk · Foresight Institute of Research and Translation
The collective editorial and research translation board of FIRAT, synthesising peer-reviewed evidence, policy briefs, and division milestones across our seven foundational research pillars.
