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The report examines the division of water management responsibilities between Canada's federal and provincial governments, highlighting significant gaps in monitoring, pollution control, and drinking water safety. It argues that the federal government should leverage its 'peace, order and good government' (POGG) power to provide national leadership, particularly in the face of climate change and the need for consistent water quality standards.

The China Node for Sustainable Sanitation (CNSS), a collaboration between the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB-CSES) and Clean Water Alliances (CWA), worked from 2008 to 2011 to mainstream ecological sanitation in China. The initiative established pilot projects, including 108 eco-toilets in Sichuan's earthquake area, and leveraged mass media—such as CCTV and Yunnan TV—to reach millions of viewers. CNSS also engaged high-level decision-makers, developed academic curricula, and fostered international partnerships with nodes in Nepal, South Africa, and the Philippines, as well as projects in Mongolia and DPR Korea.

The document argues for a paradigm shift from linear to circular urban metabolism in sanitation, emphasizing the recovery of water, energy, and nutrients. It critiques conventional centralized sewerage for its high energy costs and nutrient loss, proposing instead a variety of decentralized and source-separating systems. The report provides a multi-level planning framework (Sanitation 21) and highlights the importance of participatory, demand-driven approaches to overcome socio-cultural and institutional barriers, illustrated through global case studies.

The Caribbean Coastal Scenarios (CCS) project models the flow of water, sediments, and contaminants from inland watersheds to coastal ecosystems in several Caribbean island nations. Initial findings highlight the degradation of water quality due to dams, sewage, and deforestation, specifically noting wastewater treatment gaps in Puerto Rico and agricultural runoff in the Dominican Republic.

The report examines climate change adaptation within the water supply and wastewater (WW) sector of the Stockholm region, focusing on four regional organizations: Norrvatten, Roslagsvatten, Käppalaförbundet, and Stockholm Vatten. Using a framework of organizational learning, the study distinguishes between building adaptive capacity and implementing adaptive decisions. Findings indicate that while the sector is actively building adaptive capacity through regional cooperation and research, there is limited evidence of implementing costly adaptive decisions. The 'actual adaptation space' is primarily constrained by 'price sensitive politics', where the high cost of infrastructure changes and the time lag between investment and benefit make it difficult to justify fee increases to municipal politicians. Additionally, uncertainties regarding the timing and magnitude of climate impacts lead some organizations to demand higher levels of factual evidence before committing to large-scale investments.

The report argues that reducing methane (CH4) emissions is critical for slowing global warming in the next two decades, particularly in the Arctic, due to methane's high warming potential and short atmospheric lifespan. It identifies agriculture, waste management, and energy production as the primary anthropogenic sources and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of various mitigation strategies. While sectors like natural gas and coal mining offer high low-cost reduction potentials, the report highlights significant barriers including inadequate regulation, financial risks, and limitations within the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism. To address these, the document proposes the creation of a Global Methane Fund.

The document assesses the contribution of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to sustainable development in China's biogas sector. It finds that while the CDM can attract foreign investment and technology, the lack of transparent national sustainable development criteria and low incentives for CER buyers to prioritize sustainability often lead to poorly designed projects with low efficiency. The study highlights a disparity between the industrial sector, where wastewater treatment is common, and the livestock sector, which faces significant technical and financial barriers. It concludes that the CDM's second objective—advancing sustainable development—is often undermined by a 'race to the bottom' in criteria setting and a lack of international agreement on sustainability standards.

The report examines the global challenge of 'peak phosphorus,' where the depletion of easily mined rock phosphate reserves threatens global food security. It highlights the Lake Winnipeg Basin as a critical example of phosphorus mismanagement, where agricultural runoff has led to extreme eutrophication. The authors advocate for a transition from mineral fertilizer dependency to a circular phosphorus economy through wastewater recovery (e.g., struvite technology), composting, and improved agricultural practices like no-till farming.

The document argues that capturing biogas—primarily methane—from organic waste sources is a cost-effective method to mitigate climate change and displace fossil fuels. It details the technical and economic viability of landfill gas (LFG) projects, wastewater treatment anaerobic digestion, and agricultural manure digesters, while identifying policy barriers such as high capital costs and grid interconnection issues.

The Southeast United States faces significant challenges in balancing water and energy needs due to population growth and frequent droughts. Thermoelectric power plants are the region's largest freshwater consumers, while water heating and treatment are major energy drivers. The document advocates for integrated policy priorities, including the adoption of water-efficient energy technologies, energy-efficient public buildings, and financial incentives for high-performance products like ENERGY STAR and WaterSense labels.

The fact sheet highlights the water-energy nexus in Florida, noting that thermoelectric power plants account for nearly 10% of freshwater withdrawals and that water heating and treatment represent significant portions of residential and municipal energy costs. It recommends policy priorities including the prioritization of low-water energy technologies, the adoption of ENERGY STAR and WaterSense products, and the implementation of water recycling and solar water heating systems.

The document highlights the water-energy nexus in Mississippi, noting that thermoelectric power plants account for 10% of the state's freshwater withdrawals. It proposes policy priorities including the prioritization of low-water energy technologies, the adoption of energy and water-efficient products, and the implementation of water recycling and solar water heating. It also quantifies the energy costs associated with water heating and treatment, suggesting that widespread adoption of high-efficiency fixtures could save millions in bills.

The document highlights the significant water requirements of thermoelectric power plants in North Carolina and the energy costs associated with water heating and treatment, proposing policy priorities to improve efficiency in both sectors.

The document highlights the significant water requirements of thermoelectric power plants in South Carolina and the energy costs associated with water heating and treatment, proposing policy priorities to improve efficiency in both sectors.

The document highlights the significant water requirements of Tennessee's thermoelectric power plants and the energy costs associated with water heating and treatment, proposing policy priorities to improve efficiency in both sectors.

The document highlights the interdependence of water and energy in Virginia, noting that thermoelectric power plants account for 75% of the state's freshwater withdrawals. It proposes policy priorities including the prioritization of low-water energy technologies, the adoption of ENERGY STAR and WaterSense products, and the implementation of water recycling and solar water heating. It also quantifies the energy costs of water heating and treatment, suggesting that widespread adoption of high-efficiency fixtures could save millions in bills.

The report argues that no sanitation system is universally sustainable and must be assessed based on specific local contexts using a multi-criteria analysis. By comparing various on-site alternatives against a '0 alternative' (connection to a centralized wastewater treatment plant) in Sweden, South Africa, and Mexico, the study finds that dry urine-diversion systems consistently outperform centralized systems in environmental metrics, such as nutrient recovery and water conservation, although they often rank lower in socio-cultural acceptability and household-level health risks due to the requirement for manual handling of waste.

The report assesses the differential vulnerability and recovery of Khao Lak, Patong Beach, and Phi Phi Don after the 2004 tsunami. It finds that Patong's established history and strong business associations led to the swiftest recovery, while Khao Lak's status as a new destination and Phi Phi Don's governance and infrastructure challenges slowed their progress. The study highlights that reinforced concrete structures and diversified livelihoods increased resilience, whereas poor local governance, limited credit access for small businesses, and inadequate waste management increased vulnerability. It recommends improving micro-credit access, strengthening public-private coordination, and enhancing disaster preparedness training.

The report provides a comprehensive health risk assessment of sanitation technologies, categorizing them into functional groups: user interface, collection and storage/treatment, conveyance, semi-centralized treatment, and reuse/disposal. It identifies critical exposure points for users, workers, farmers, and the community, emphasizing that technical barriers (like storage time and pH elevation) must be combined with socio-cultural behavioral changes (such as hand-washing) to effectively break the cycle of disease transmission. The document analyzes specific technologies—ranging from open defecation and pit latrines to advanced wastewater treatment plants—and provides epidemiological evidence on their impact on diarrhoeal diseases and helminth infections.

The document examines the Lao PDR's silk handicrafts sector, noting its potential for sustainable growth through 'green' niche markets but highlighting risks related to wastewater and land use as production scales up. It emphasizes the need for quality certification and improved water management to maintain the sector's competitive advantage.