United Nations World Water Development Report

The United Nations World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) is the United Nation’s flagship report on water. It offers an authoritative and comprehensive assessment of the overall state, use and management of the world’s freshwater resources and aims to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies.

The production of the report is coordinated and published by the UNESCO World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) on behalf of the UN-Water family. Several UN-Water Members and Partners, as well as other experts, contribute appreciably to the preparation and content of the report. As such, the UN WWDR represents the coherent and integrated response of the United Nations system to freshwater-related issues and emerging challenges and remain among  shining example of the United Nations ‘delivering as one’.

The UN WWDR presents a balanced, fact-based and neutral account of the current state of knowledge, describing the challenges and opportunities of improved water management in the context of sustainable development.

Restoration of the wetlands in Alviso Marsh, California
Shutterstock.com

It highlights best practices and potential response options as well as in-depth theoretical analyses to help stimulate ideas and actions across various water-related sectors. The UN WWDR reports on progress towards achieving SDG 6 targets on clean water and sanitation as well as changes in the resource and its management. This is of great importance as water resources and how they are managed have a direct/indirect impact on almost all aspects of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Thematic reports (2014 - present)

Since 2014, the WWDR is an annual, thematic report. Each edition focuses on a different strategic issue. Prior to 2014, the reports were produced every three years, with a comprehensive approach.
Partnerships and cooperation

The new report will be launched on 22 March 2023
Groundwater, making the invisible visible

2022
Valuing Water

2021
Water and Climate Change

2020
Leaving No One Behind

2019
Nature-based Solutions for Water

2018
Wastewater, the Untapped Resource

2017
Water and Jobs

2016
Water for a Sustainable World

2015
Water and Energy

2014

Water for a Sustainable World (2015)

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Water is at the core of sustainable development. Water resources, and the range of services they provide, underpin economic growth, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. From food and energy security to human and environmental health, water has been shown to contribute to improvements in social well being, affecting the livelihoods of billions. Progress towards the achievement of most sustainable development goals requires significant improvement of water management across the globe.
Full report
UNESCO
2015

The WWDR 2015 demonstrates how water resources and services are essential to achieving global sustainability. Taking account of economic growth, social equity and environmental sustainability, the report’s forward-looking narrative describes how major challenges and change factors in the modern world will affect – and can be affected by – water resources, services and related benefits.

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Facing the challenges: case studies and indicators
UNESCO
2015

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Water and Energy (2014)

Water and energy are closely interconnected and highly interdependent. Choices made and actions taken in one domain can greatly affect the other, positively or negatively. Trade-offs need to be managed to limit negative impacts and foster opportunities for synergy. Water and energy have crucial impacts on poverty alleviation both directly, as a number of the Millennium Development Goals depend on major improvements in access to water, sanitation, power and energy sources, and indirectly, as water and energy can be binding constraints on economic growth – the ultimate hope for widespread poverty reduction.
Full report
UNESCO
2014
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Previous reports (2003-2012)

From 2003 through to 2012, the UN WWDR was produced and released every three years, following a comprehensive approach. As of 2014, the UN WWDR transformed into an annual, thematic report, focused on a different strategic water issues each year.

Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk (UN WWDR4 - 2012)

The fourth edition of the United Nations World Water Development Report, titled ‘Managing Water under Uncertainty and Risk’ is a comprehensive review of the world's freshwater resources and seeks to demonstrate, among other messages, that water underpins all aspects of development, and that a coordinated approach to managing and allocating water is critical. The Report underlines that in order to meet multiple goals water needs to be an intrinsic element in decision-making across the whole development spectrum.
Full report
UNESCO
2012

Jump to:

Skip to: Volume 2, Knowledge base open_in_new
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Executive summary
2012
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Key messages
2012
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Water in a Changing World (UN WWDR3 - 2009)

"Water in a Changing World" builds on the work of previous studies, including the two previous World Water Development Reports. However, the third edition of the Report presented several changes from the previous two editions. Unlike the earlier Reports, which were structured along UN agency lines, the third Report presented a new, more holistic format. A number of themes are addressed throughout the entire report, including climate change, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), groundwater, biodiversity, water and migration, water and infrastructure, and biofuels.
Full report
UNESCO
Earthscan
2009
Skip to: Facing the challenges open_in_new
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Facts and figures
2009
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Water, a Shared Responsibility ( UN WWDR2 - 2006)

‘Water, a Shared Responsibility’, presents a comprehensive picture of freshwater resources in all regions and most countries of the world, tracks progress towards the water-related targets of the UN Millennium Development Goals, and examines a range of issues including population growth and increasing urbanization, changing ecosystems, food production, health, industry and energy, as well as risk management, valuing and paying for water, and increasing knowledge and capacity. Sixteen case studies look at typical water resource challenges and provide valuable insights into different facets of the water crisis and management responses.

Finally, the report outlines a set of conclusions and recommendations to guide future action and encourage sustainable use, productivity and management of our increasingly scarce freshwater resources.
Full report
UNESCO
Berghan Books
2006
Case studies open_in_new
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Executive summary
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Water for People, Water for Life (UN WWDR1 - 2003)

‘Water for People, Water for Life’ laid the foundation for subsequent editions of the UN WWDR, concentrating essentially on evaluating the level of progress made since the Rio Summit (1992) and on developing effective assessment methodologies. The Report encompasses a broad range of components, focusing on human stewardship of freshwater, that complex aggregation of policies, legislation, social programmes, economic approaches and management strategies through which to achieve water sustainability.
Full report
UNESCO
Berghahn Books
2003

The first UN WWDR opens with a chapter describing the water crisis. It then reviews progress and trends, proposes methodologies and indicators for measuring sustainability, and assesses progress in the following 11 challenge areas: water and cities, securing the food supply, water and energy, cleaner industry, meeting basic needs, protecting ecosystems, sharing water resources, valuing water, governing water wisely, ensuring the knowledge base, and managing risks. It also presents seven pilot case studies of river basins representing various social, economic and environmental settings.

Case studies open_in_new
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Executive summary
2003
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Foundation of the Report

The UN WWDR was initiated in response to a call from the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) to produce a periodic, UN system-wide global overview of the status (quantity and quality), use and management of freshwater resources. It currently contributes to ongoing worldwide movement to foster progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out by the United Nations and endorsed by the international community. With several SDGs reliant upon the access to safe and sufficient water and sanitation services, the report serves a critical purpose that stretches far beyond the water domain. From 2003 through to 2012, the UN WWDR was produced and released every three years, following a comprehensive approach. As of 2014, the UN WWDR transformed into an annual, thematic report, focused on a different strategic water issue each year. The theme of each annual UN WWDR is harmonized with that of World Water Day (22 March) and provides the knowledge base for related celebrations, events and discussions throughout the year.

Targeted primarily at regional, national and local-level decision-makers, water resource managers and practitioners, the UN WWDR also provides a trustworthy source of knowledge and information for academics as well as groups and individuals interested in global water issues and the role they play in the broader scope of social development, equitable economic growth and environmental sustainability.

Two capital cities on opposite banks of the Congo River: Brazzaville and Kinshasa
This image featuring two capital cities on opposite banks of the Congo River was taken by an Expedition 7 crewmember onboard the International Space Station (ISS). Brazzaville (capital of the Republic of the Congo) is on the north side of the river, and Kinshasa (capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) is on the south side.
NASA

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