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The paper argues that global indicators from UNICEF and the WHO overestimate water access in the global south. Analysis of 15 cities reveals that nearly half of households lack piped utility water, forcing them to rely on private sources that can be up to 52 times more expensive. The document contends that private sector involvement and the corporatization of utilities have failed to improve access for the under-served and recommends extending formal piped networks, addressing intermittent service, and upgrading informal settlements.

The report highlights the growing vulnerability of the power sector in South and Southeast Asia to water-related risks, noting that 74 GW of existing and planned capacity for major power companies is located in water-scarce or stressed areas. It argues that while regulatory protections have historically shielded shareholders from the financial impact of water-related outages, these protections may become unsustainable as climate change and demographic pressures intensify water shortages. The document also notes a trade-off between water mitigation and carbon emissions, as technologies like dry cooling reduce water dependency but increase carbon emissions per unit of power output.

The document describes the construction of the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, which uses a composite index approach to map 12 water-risk indicators globally. Six indicators were generated using a combination of time series estimators, spatial regression, and a sparse hydrological model, while the other six were adapted from existing publications. The authors note that model accuracy is primarily constrained by the lack of public data on major infrastructure, in-situ water quality, and river gauge measurements, and that overall index scores cannot be validated due to a lack of public datasets on water-related losses.

The document identifies eutrophication as a rapidly growing environmental crisis, noting that over 500 coastal areas worldwide are impacted and dead zones increased from 10 in 1960 to 405 in 2008. It recommends a multi-faceted approach for policymakers, including the implementation of research and monitoring programs, public awareness campaigns, regulatory standards, fiscal incentives, and the restoration of natural ecosystems. The brief emphasizes the need for coordinated institutions and the pursuit of environmental synergies, noting that nutrient pollution policies can overlap with efforts to combat climate change, smog, and acid rain.

Climate change increases human health risks in the U.S. through more intense heat waves, prolonged wildfire seasons, and severe flooding that compromises water quality. Specific examples include the increased likelihood of drought conditions similar to those seen in Texas in 2011 and the lengthening of allergy seasons.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) challenges the Edison Electric Institute's (EEI) claim that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is imposing an unworkable 'onslaught' of new requirements on power plants. WRI asserts that the EEI timeline is misleading because it conflates procedural events, existing obligations, and state-level standards with new compliance requirements. WRI argues that the EPA is pursuing a realistic timeline to bring the industry into compliance with the Clean Air Act and other statutes, providing a necessary pathway for investments in a cleaner electric generation fleet.

The paper identifies that nitrous oxide from agricultural soils constitutes about half of U.S. agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, with a combined soil and fertilizer production footprint of 346 million tonnes of CO2e in 2022. It proposes a technical toolkit for reducing losses—including soil testing, precision application, and cover crops—and suggests reducing nitrogen-intensive end uses like corn for ethanol. To scale these efforts, the author recommends a philanthropy-backed coalition (CLEAR) and a federal National Nitrogen Initiative that updates NRCS Practice 590 to tie payments to verified outcomes based on nitrogen use efficiency and nitrogen balance.

The document addresses the environmental risks associated with the unprecedented expansion of the U.S. corn ethanol industry following the Energy Policy Act of 2005. It argues that policy focus should shift from industry expansion to an evolution that prioritizes energy security and environmental benefits, offering specific farm policy recommendations to manage soil, water, and greenhouse gas impacts.

The document uses integrated agricultural and biophysical simulation models to assess the effects of increased grain ethanol production on the U.S. economy and environment. While the analysis indicates potential benefits for net greenhouse gas emissions, farm income, and government agricultural support, it concludes that there are significant soil and water quality implications that require attention.

The document introduces Aqueduct 4.0, a framework by the World Resources Institute that translates complex hydrological data into 13 water risk indicators covering quantity, quality, and reputational concerns. Using the PCR-GLOBWB 2 model and CMIP6 climate forcings, the framework projects water conditions for 2030, 2050, and 2080 under three scenarios. Findings indicate that 25 countries are currently exposed to extremely high annual water stress, and by 2050, $70 trillion in GDP (31% of global GDP) will be exposed to high water stress, with India, Mexico, Egypt, and Turkey accounting for over half of that figure.

The document argues that conventional landscaping practices in the United States fail to leverage the full range of ecosystem services provided by managed landscapes, such as residential lawns and golf courses. It proposes a conceptual framework to quantify and value seven specific ecosystem services—including carbon sequestration and water retention—to guide design and management decisions.

The document describes the application of reverse auctions—competitive bidding systems where sellers compete to provide services—to ensure cost-effective environmental improvements. It specifically highlights the Conestoga Reverse Auction Project in Pennsylvania, which used this mechanism to allocate funding for agricultural conservation and Best Management Practices aimed at reducing phosphorus losses.

The document proposes a 'working forest' model for the southern United States, where public entities acquire land or development rights to generate revenue from sustainable timber, recreation, and ecosystem services. This approach is presented as a more cost-effective alternative to traditional conservation programs, with potential for local management via citizen advisory boards and financing through public bonds or taxes.

The document examines strategies to reduce nitrogen runoff from agricultural land in the Mississippi River Basin to address the 'Dead Zone' in the Gulf of Mexico, identifying market-based mechanisms as the most efficient solution.

The document argues that integrating natural infrastructure—such as forests and wetlands—with built infrastructure can reduce water treatment costs and enhance water security. It provides a framework for 'green-gray analysis' to compare these options, discusses the scientific links between forest cover and water quality, and outlines various finance mechanisms and stakeholder engagement strategies to scale these efforts across the U.S.

The document describes the ecological role of beavers as 'ecosystem engineers' and the use of beaver dam analogs (BDAs) to restore freshwater habitats. It highlights how these structures mitigate floods, increase drought tolerance, and improve water quality by trapping sediment and pollutants. WWF supports BDA projects in Montana and the Rio Grande basin to enhance climate resilience and biodiversity.

The document outlines the interdependence of forests and freshwater, asserting that integrated protection can double conservation outcomes. It details how forests regulate water flow, maintain water temperature, filter pollutants, and support aquatic food webs. The text emphasizes that both systems face shared threats from unsustainable agriculture, infrastructure, and climate change, and advocates for a combined management approach to maximize biodiversity and human health benefits.

Beavers are described as keystone species and "ecosystem engineers" whose dam-building activities create wetlands that sequester carbon and support biodiversity. Their structures regulate water flow to mitigate flooding, replenish groundwater during droughts, and create fire-tolerant zones that suffer only one-third of the damage compared to areas without beavers. In the US Great Plains, where populations were historically depleted by fur traders, initiatives like WWF’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative are using human-made beaver dam analogs in Montana and the Rio Grande basin to restore ecological functions and prepare landscapes for beaver recolonization.

Oysters provide multiple ecological services that combat climate change, including sequestering carbon in their shells and protecting coastal carbon sinks like mangroves and seagrasses by acting as natural breakwaters. They improve ocean health by filtering up to 50 gallons of water daily, which enhances the ocean's overall capacity to absorb CO2. Additionally, oyster reefs support biodiversity by creating marine habitats and offer a low-impact, nutritious protein source that does not require external feed or pollute the environment.

Seaweed, particularly kelp, serves as a nutrient-dense superfood and a versatile raw material for products ranging from fertilizer to printer ink. Environmentally, it improves water quality by absorbing nitrogen and phosphorous, provides habitats for marine wildlife, and requires no land, freshwater, pesticides, or fertilizers to grow. From a climate perspective, seaweed can store greenhouse gases, buffer against ocean acidification, and reduce the global food system's carbon footprint. In the US, specifically Maine, the industry faces regulatory hurdles regarding permitting, despite offering clean, alternative income for fishers.