Catalyzing water for sustainable Development and growth

The report argues that water must be framed not just as a sector but as a cross-cutting enabler of social development, economic growth, and environmental integrity. It proposes a 'cross-cluster framework' that integrates three perspectives: water as a sector, an enabler, and a supporter. The authors estimate that implementing water-related SDGs would require annual global investments between US$1.25 and 2.25 trillion over 20 years, representing 1.8% to 2.5% of global GDP. Key challenges identified include systemic corruption in the water sector, a critical lack of operation and maintenance funding, and the need for a paradigm shift from donor-led to multi-stakeholder governance.

• Water should be treated as a cross-linked issue rather than a standalone sector because it is essential for social development, economic growth, and environmental integrity.
• The report identifies three clusters of proposals for water in the post-2015 agenda: 'Water as a Sector' (focusing on WaSH and resources), 'Water as an Enabler' (focusing on unlocking economic growth), and 'Water as a Supporter' (embedding water in high-level development goals).
• Annual global investments for a post-2015 water for sustainable development and growth agenda are estimated between US$1.25 and 2.25 trillion over a 20-year period, which is 1.8% to 2.5% of global GDP.
• Corruption in the water sector is a significant barrier, with estimates suggesting it costs between 10% and 30% of water investments.
• While the MDG target for drinking water was met globally in 2010, approximately 0.7 billion people still lack access, and 2.5 billion people lack adequate sanitation.
• Irrigation is identified as a major source of water inefficiency, with only 30% to 40% of irrigation water actually reaching crop uptake.
• The report suggests that the G20 is well-positioned to implement SDGs due to its economic capacity and the fact that major water challenges are concentrated in member states like China and India.
• A critical gap exists in the maintenance of water infrastructure; for example, only 7% of aid is directed at service maintenance, despite the fact that ignoring it undermines sustainability.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). Catalyzing water for sustainable Development and growth. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/unosd-unu-sei-watersdg-full-report.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Catalyzing water for sustainable Development and growth. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/unosd-unu-sei-watersdg-full-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Catalyzing water for sustainable Development and growth |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/unosd-unu-sei-watersdg-full-report.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendcatalyzing, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Catalyzing water for sustainable Development and growth}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/unosd-unu-sei-watersdg-full-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }