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The report examines how water resources in Senegal intersect with poverty alleviation and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). While progress has been made in urban water supply, rural sanitation remains a challenge. The study highlights a heavy reliance on groundwater, the role of the Senegal River Basin in food security, and the vulnerability of coastal zones to sea-level rise. It argues for a more holistic Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) approach that includes rainwater harvesting and better local community participation to ensure sustainable development.

The document examines Tanzania's water-poverty nexus, highlighting a significant 'implementation gap' where progressive policies on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and decentralization are hindered by limited institutional and financial capacity. It emphasizes the critical role of rainfed agriculture, which supports the majority of the poor, and the need to integrate 'green water' flows into management strategies. The report also notes severe challenges in sanitation coverage and the conflict between hydropower and irrigation needs in major river basins.

The document identifies open-pit mining, climate change, deforestation, and agricultural expansion as the primary drivers of habitat loss and resource depletion in the Chindwin River Basin. It highlights five highly affected biodiversity areas, with Pauk Inn wetlands identified as the most vulnerable. Key institutional challenges include limited financial resources, data gaps, and a lack of public participation. The report recommends that the Chindwin River Basin Committee lead integrated water resources management and that the Sagaing regional government centralize conservation activities to improve coordination.

The Master Plan for the Pampa Huari River Basin (PDC-PH) provides a comprehensive strategy to address water scarcity, pollution from mining and urban waste, and land degradation in a semi-arid region of Potosí, Bolivia. Developed under the Bolivia WATCH program using a Robust Decision Making (RDM) framework, the plan integrates water supply (WASH) with basin-wide hydrology. Key findings highlight critical water quality issues, with several rivers classified as 'Class E' (unsuitable for human consumption) due to mining and urban sewage. The plan prioritizes three micro-basins—Kari Kari, Santa Lucia, and Villacollo—for environmental restoration and proposes five strategic lines focusing on ecosystem protection, sustainable water and sanitation, efficient agricultural irrigation, mining impact mitigation, and inter-institutional governance.

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative aims to evolve water planning beyond the traditional Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) paradigm. WBB focuses on three pillars: extending management beyond the immediate watershed to include global resource flows, implementing multi-scale participatory tools to address social inequalities (including gender and poverty), and integrating ecosystem needs throughout the planning process. The initiative is being tested through pilot studies in the Mekong River basin and the Magdalena River Basin, while reflecting on previous work in California.

The document critiques traditional 'water productivity' measures for focusing too heavily on agricultural output ('crop per drop') while ignoring the essential water needs of broader landscape ecosystem services. It advocates for an integrated water resource management (IWRM) approach that mimics natural water storage and incorporates 'bottom-up' input from diverse stakeholders to balance agricultural gains with the preservation of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Using case studies from India and Zambia, the brief demonstrates how narrow productivity gains can create downstream trade-offs or overlook the primary subsistence drivers of rural livelihoods.

The report details the creation of a comprehensive modeling framework for the Syr Darya River Basin, integrating the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) platform, the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) with the Next Energy Modeling system for Optimization (NEMO), and a macroeconomic model (Macro). This integrated approach allows for the simulation of complex interdependencies between water availability, energy production, and economic outcomes across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The study evaluates six thematic narratives—ranging from business-as-usual to regional cooperation and ecosystem restoration—under four climate projections (Historical, Dry, Average, and Wet). Key findings indicate that pursuing isolated national interests increases water stress, while regional cooperation and efficiency policies significantly reduce unmet irrigation demands, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and boost agricultural value added and GDP.

SEI Asia employs a multi-channel strategic communication approach to bridge the gap between science and policy. By utilizing diverse tools—including podcasts, documentary films, online courses, and media grants—the organization aims to make complex scientific findings accessible to policymakers, media, and marginalized communities. Their efforts focus on fostering inclusive dialogue and enhancing the capacity of early-career journalists to report on environmental issues such as climate change and water insecurity.

The paper proposes a green-blue water approach to watershed management, emphasizing that managing soil moisture (green water) can increase water productivity and reduce downstream scarcity. It examines the hydrological impacts of land-use changes, such as deforestation and afforestation, and discusses the use of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) to incentivize sustainable upland management. Case studies from the Jordan and Tana River basins illustrate the challenges of transboundary cooperation and the potential for 'soft-path' interventions over large-scale infrastructure.

The document assesses the Chindwin River Basin in Myanmar, highlighting the impacts of climate change, deforestation, and mining on water quality, biodiversity, and livelihoods. It details the transition of local communities from river-based to groundwater-based water use and argues for an integrated, bottom-up approach to water governance through the Chindwin River Basin Organization (RBO).

The SEI Environmental Strategy for Myanmar (2019-2028) establishes a ten-year framework to support Myanmar in meeting its commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Agreement. The strategy is organized around four primary themes: water resources management and agriculture, gender, environment and development (GED), sustainable energy, and climate change, disasters and development. SEI aims to bridge science and policy through collaborative research, capacity building for state and non-state actors, and the deployment of decision-support tools. Key priorities include improving water security in the Central Dry Zone, promoting a just transition to low-carbon energy systems, and addressing gender-based inequalities in resource access and decision-making. The strategy emphasizes a partnership-led approach to foster institutional transformation and enhance community resilience against climate-induced disasters.

The report examines the relationship between water productivity, water flows, and ecosystem services, emphasizing that narrow agricultural efficiency often creates trade-offs with broader landscape health. It advocates for an integrated approach to water resource management that values regulating and supporting services alongside provisioning ones.

The document examines water scarcity in the Mekong Region, highlighting a governance structure often dominated by top-down authority and a lack of enforceable water allocation rights. It notes that urban and industrial needs are typically prioritized over agriculture, leaving vulnerable groups—particularly women and the rural poor—at higher risk. The briefing also discusses the influence of international financial institutions and political motivations on irrigation infrastructure and the projected impacts of climate change, including increased temperature and seasonal rainfall uncertainty, which threaten agricultural productivity and food security.

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.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) is implementing a three-year initiative (2022-2024) in the Tana Subbasin of Ethiopia, specifically within the North Mecha, Farta, and Dera woredas of the Amhara Region. The project aims to reduce water stress and increase climate resilience by strengthening data systems, analytical capacities, and cross-sectoral coordination. It employs an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach to balance water demand with available supplies and protect the watersheds that support water provision. The project is structured around four objectives: building capacity for water-and climate-wise decisions, institutionalizing IWRM, implementing watershed restoration in the Koga micro-watershed, and advocating for these solutions nationally and internationally.

The World Resources Report (WRR) is being developed around seven working papers focusing on urban issues in the global south, specifically targeting the needs of the lower half of the income distribution to achieve economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equity. The report's framing emphasizes preventing "unsustainable urban lock-in" and addressing the "urbanization of poverty." Key thematic areas include urban expansion, affordable shelter, urban energy services, regional water risk, and sustainable transportation, with a proposed "40:40:40 strategy" for transport mode split by 2040. The project involves a core team and lead authors conducting literature reviews and stakeholder engagement, with planned city-level case studies in Medellín, Surat, and a city in Africa.

The document outlines a 'build back safer and greener' framework for Nepal, focusing on minimizing environmental damage during post-disaster recovery. It provides sector-specific guidance on settlements, building construction, waste management, energy, infrastructure, WASH, agriculture, and education. Key strategies include the use of soil bioengineering for landslide stabilization, integrated settlement planning, and the promotion of renewable energy to reduce pressure on forests. The guide emphasizes cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, social inclusion (GESI), and climate change adaptation to enhance long-term community resilience.