ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP  CEO WATER MANDATE  CDP  CERES  GIZ  GLOBAL WATERPARTNERSHIP  THE NATURE CONSERVANCY  WATER WITNESS INTERNATIONAL  WATERAID  WORLD BUSINESSCOUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE  WWF

Joint Statement from the International Water Stewardship Community
Strengthening Public-Private Collaboration
to Accelerate Action on Water
UNITED NATIONS 2023 WATER CONFERENCE
We, organisations of the global corporate water stewardship community,
come together alongside UN 2023 Water Conference,to advocate for joint action to strengthen public-private collaboration on water.
We call on global governments to support the business community to increase action on water through six
solutions for policy action.
We commit to engaging our networks of private sector leaders to align our agendas to achieve Sustainable
Development Goal 6, and water security for all by 2030.

Key Messages•

Stronger public-private sector alignment and collaboration is needed on water, as water security risks
intensify due to climate change.

•The private sector is committing to take bolder action on water and asks for government support to alignincentives and policy frameworks to un-lock business action.

•Government action can accelerate some of the most promising solutions for public-private collaboration onwater.

•This joint statement outlines six key solution areas where business action can have the biggest impact,when supported by aligned policy frameworks, and public-private capacity building – 6 solutions forSDG6.

SIX (6) KEY SOLUTIONSFOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO UN-LOCK INCREASED CORPORATE ACTION
Since the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, global businesses have collectively invested billions of USD in water securitysolutions for improving water quality; more efficient use and increasing replenishment of water withdrawals; andenabling water, sanitation and hygiene access to under serviced populations - across global operations, supply
chains and in communities where they operate.
Progress is being made, but more can be done when governments and the private sector work together toaccelerate impact.

www.wateractionnow.org

ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP  CEO WATER MANDATE  CDP  CERES  GIZ  GLOBAL WATERPARTNERSHIP  THE NATURE CONSERVANCY  WATER WITNESS INTERNATIONAL  WATERAID  WORLD BUSINESSCOUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE  WWFGovernment actions and policies that support long term water security goals are fundamental to enabling businessto co-invest safely within agreed frameworks (The Fundamentals).
With the fundamental policy frameworks in place, the private sector can co-invest alongside governments in key
areas that will unlock exponential improvements in water quantity, quality and access and that secure resilient
water resources for the future, thus boosting progress towards achievement of SDG 6 (The Un-locks for
Exponential Improvements).

THE UN-LOCKS FOR EXPONENTIAL
IMPROVEMENTS

THE FUNDAMENTALS
1. Ensure Strong Foundations for SustainableWater Management
2. Enable Mechanisms that Better Value andManage Water
3. Create Open Access to Accurate Data

4. Mobilize Frameworks that Drive Innovation
5. Scale-up Funding Mechanisms & Capacity
Development
6. Harness the Power of Collective Action

THE FUNDAMENTALS
Fundamental government actions include:
1. Ensure a Strong Foundation for Sustainable Water Management•Determine location and time-specific water balance by basin - to properly assess the quantity of wateravailable currently and projected for the future, together with determining the total use by users in thatbasin, including the amount needed for environmental and social safeguards.

•Set caps on water allocation for use - based on both long-term precipitation records (considering climateimpacts) and projected water availability and setting aside first the amount needed to maintain basic
human needs and environmental function and improving allocation mechanisms so that they are equitable
and sustainable.

•Prioritize equitable access to water and sanitation as a human right - (aiming to achieve SDG 6.1 and 6.2) while
actively improving access for vulnerable communities by ensuring investments and policies are in place.

•Issue commitments and investments, assigning commensurate budgets, to protect water quality - (SDG 6.3)
from both point and non-point sources. Invest in the expansion and long-term operation, maintenance, andtreatment of wastewater, fecal sludge, stormwater and urban runoff including stronger efforts to tackle
novel substances such as PFAS and pharmaceuticals.

www.wateractionnow.org

ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP  CEO WATER MANDATE  CDP  CERES  GIZ  GLOBAL WATERPARTNERSHIP  THE NATURE CONSERVANCY  WATER WITNESS INTERNATIONAL  WATERAID  WORLD BUSINESSCOUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE  WWF•Implement and coordinate nature-related commitments - made across Multi-lateral Environmental
Agreements (MEAs) like Ramsar COP14, CBD CoP15 and COP27 to protect, restore manage, and remove
threats to freshwater ecosystems and their watersheds.

2. Enable Mechanisms that Better Value and Manage Water•Incentivize corporate water stewardship – to accelerate credible, verified corporate action on water including
the strengthening of trade policy levers through international conventions and protocols; and support
sustainability-related trade mechanisms (e.g., certifications and standards) that promote waterstewardship.

•Support investments to transition to climate-smart, water resilient and nature-positive agriculture – Redirect
current subsidies in the agricultural sector to support investments that enable the future success offarmers and farming communities through the adoption of climate-smart, water resilient and nature
positive practices. These investments can be aligned with current commitments to finance climate
mitigation and adaptation efforts.

•Reform water policy on water pricing for industry and agriculture - to incentivize water saving, whileproviding safeguards for human access and environmental functions. Introduce efficient mechanisms forassessing water risks and impacts, and the removal of environmentally harmful subsidies.

•Support global policy and frameworks on the valuation of water - to enable, and ultimately mandate, thevaluation of water as a natural asset to be recognized and managed alongside traditional financial assets asone mechanism that enables the private sector to better value water.

3. Create Open Access to Accurate Data:•Strengthen monitoring systems by establishing centralized open water data and information platforms - tomake accessible high quality local data covering all aspects (quantity, quality, river flow, groundwater, riverconnectivity, pollution levels, freshwater habitat extent and possibly eDNA) for use by all parties at local
and national levels and in alignment with global platforms.

•Incentivize comprehensive water disclosure by companies and financial institutions - covering impacts anddependencies on water, resulting water risk, actions being taken to mitigate risk and opportunities tofurther water stewardship. Disclosures should include details on water use (withdrawn and consumed),
pollution, ecosystem protection efforts, governance of water-related issues, and public policy engagements
to further water outcomes.

•Evaluate progress towards SDG 6 - Involve the business community in efforts to evaluate progress on water
resources management. Identify significant challenges and opportunities that result in shared action plans.

•Strengthen the accountability of all water users - through transparent monitoring and reporting of theirperformance, enabling responsive mechanisms for all voices to be heard, and effective development
refinement, and enforcement of water-related laws to ensure a level playing field.

www.wateractionnow.org

ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP  CEO WATER MANDATE  CDP  CERES  GIZ  GLOBAL WATERPARTNERSHIP  THE NATURE CONSERVANCY  WATER WITNESS INTERNATIONAL  WATERAID  WORLD BUSINESSCOUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE  WWF

THE UN-LOCKS FOR EXPONENTIAL
IMPROVEMENTS

THE UN-LOCKS OF EXPONENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS

Key government actions to un-lock exponential improvements and enable water
resilience include:
4. Mobilize Frameworks that Drive Innovation•

Support innovation in water technologies - (including circular water management and nature-basedsolutions), financial schemes, data collection and dissemination, operating procedures, production
processes and services•

Support the digitization of water infrastructure and services - to optimize water use efficiencies, operations
and maintenance), replenishment and reliable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services to support
all communities and ecosystems.

•Support local entrepreneurship ecosystems - Develop education and capacity development programs forentrepreneurship to support the growth of entrepreneurship ecosystems for more diverse and inclusive
water services.

5. Scale-up Funding Mechanisms & Capacity Development•Review public investment policy and guidance - to require consideration of natural infrastructure and naturalareas in water infrastructure investment decisions.

•Incentivize the increase of financial flows to water security solutions - by establishing blended financing
mechanisms and supporting the growth of diverse investment opportunities that leverage the capital
markets - that enable more diverse investors to participate while also protecting the water services of lowand middle-income countries.

•Establish investments in ecosystem service markets - (SDG 6.6) with provisions, guidelines, and criteria togive certainty to the private sector that their funds will be used adequately and in support of the attainmentof water security.

www.wateractionnow.org

ALLIANCE FOR WATER STEWARDSHIP  CEO WATER MANDATE  CDP  CERES  GIZ  GLOBAL WATERPARTNERSHIP  THE NATURE CONSERVANCY  WATER WITNESS INTERNATIONAL  WATERAID  WORLD BUSINESSCOUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT  WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE  WWF

6. Harness the Power of Collective Action•Encourage collective actions that compound individual private sector contributions in basins throughgovernment support – via ministerial participation, multi-sectorial collaboration policies and allocation offunds to support implementation of improvement actions•Establish collective funding mechanisms - that act as a channel towards scalability and sustainability. Thesefunds can help channel investments in numerous areas from natural conservation or restoration to water
access, sanitation, and hygiene while strengthening water governance by bringing together relevant
stakeholders - and provide sound scientific knowledge to facilitate the decision-making process.

•Encourage the removal of departmental barriers to promote coordination across sectors – such as, agricultural,financial, energy, planning, private and NGO actors. UN agencies can be particularly helpful when suchboundaries include national divides (I.e., transboundary basins).

www.wateractionnow.org