AMERICAS REGIONAL PROCESS EVENT WATER FOR OUR FUTURE

The 'Water for Our Future' event, hosted by the World Water Council, WWF, and The Coca-Cola Company, focused on three themes: Green Growth, Water Stewardship and Industry; Water for Food; and Enough Safe Water for All. The forum emphasized the necessity of 'multisector partnerships' and a shift from short-term water projects to long-term water services. Key discussions highlighted the undervaluation of water in the US, the critical role of farmers in water stewardship, and the need for inclusive planning that incorporates local communities and women. The report also presents case studies on the 'golden triangle' partnership in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo basin and a public-private partnership for wastewater treatment in Jordan.

• Multisector partnerships, described as the 'golden triangle' of private sector, governments, and civil society, are essential for sustainable water management because no single organization can protect freshwater alone.
• There is a critical need to shift from funding individual water projects to providing long-term water services, ensuring budgets cover both initial construction and ongoing maintenance.
• Water is significantly undervalued in the United States, leading to government deficits for infrastructure repair and a lack of payment by upstream users for impacts on downstream water security.
• Local communities, particularly women, must be integrated into water planning as they are often the most vulnerable to climate change and possess the most intimate knowledge of local water situations.
• Agriculture is the primary consumer of freshwater, with approximately 70% of global withdrawals used for irrigation; consequently, engaging the small number of farmers who produce the majority of the US food supply is vital for stewardship.
• Food waste contributes significantly to freshwater loss, with an estimated 21–28% of the world's fresh water lost because 30 to 40% of all food produced globally is wasted.
• Water infrastructure in the US is described as old and inefficient, which threatens the ability to reliably produce and transport food via inland navigation systems.
• The As-Samra wastewater treatment plant in Jordan serves as a model for the water-food-energy nexus, using a build-operate-transfer (BOT) public-private partnership to provide treated water for irrigation and generate 12.8 megawatts of renewable energy.

APA

WWF International (2014). AMERICAS REGIONAL PROCESS EVENT WATER FOR OUR FUTURE. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/97/4nrdaknq9n_10_20_World_Water_Forum_WP_FIN_15_122.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. AMERICAS REGIONAL PROCESS EVENT WATER FOR OUR FUTURE. 2014. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/97/4nrdaknq9n_10_20_World_Water_Forum_WP_FIN_15_122.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=AMERICAS REGIONAL PROCESS EVENT WATER FOR OUR FUTURE |date=15 May 2014 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/97/4nrdaknq9n_10_20_World_Water_Forum_WP_FIN_15_122.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2014americas, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{AMERICAS REGIONAL PROCESS EVENT WATER FOR OUR FUTURE}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2014}, month = may, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/97/4nrdaknq9n_10_20_World_Water_Forum_WP_FIN_15_122.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }