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The report evaluates how the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) bridges science and policy to induce sustainable development. It defines policy engagement as interactions leading to changes in agendas, capacities, and decisions. Through 18 case studies, SEI identifies key pathways to impact—such as developing scientific evidence, using decision-support tools (e.g., LEAP and WEAP), and building networks with 'champions'. The analysis categorizes outcomes into changes in awareness/attitudes (Agendas), institutional strengthening (Capacities), and actual policy shifts (Decisions). It concludes that long-term relationships and a focus on solutions are more effective than short-term, output-driven engagement.

The document analyzes the widespread eutrophication of Uruguay's aquatic ecosystems, identifying agricultural intensification as the primary driver of nutrient pollution, particularly phosphorus. It details how climate change exacerbates these symptoms and describes the public health risks posed by toxic cyanobacterial blooms, such as those from the Microcystis aeruginosa complex. The authors argue that current soil conservation practices, like no-till farming, may inadvertently increase soluble phosphorus runoff. They recommend a transition toward neutral or negative phosphorus balances, the use of catch crops, and a shift from a centralized to a decentralized, multi-actor water governance model to effectively mitigate the crisis.

The 'Mission Blue' workshop, organized by the BONUS RETURN project, engaged 49 stakeholders from seven countries to develop five prototype interventions to combat eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. Using a three-step 'Cook, Incubation, and Evaluation' methodology, participants combined 21 pre-defined measures across coordination, data, ecotechnologies, and policy categories. The resulting interventions focused on nutrient circularity, ranging from improving knowledge transfer between farmers and authorities to integrating sea-based mussel farming with land-based nutrient management. The report discusses the challenges of operationalizing mission-oriented policies, emphasizing the need to move beyond 'silo' organizational structures, align local capacities with strategic visions, and utilize public procurement to drive circular business models.

The document assesses the GRP Incubator's approach to scaling resilience solutions, focusing on five grantees: Groundswell, IFPRI, Mahila Housing Trust, MetaMeta, and Producers Direct. It details the Incubator's support mechanisms, including mentoring, leadership training, and financial networking, and evaluates the progress of these grantees across a three-stage scaling framework. Key findings highlight the importance of context-specific adaptation, stakeholder engagement, and the transition from grant-funded projects to sustainable business models.

The study focuses on the Campoalegre River basin in Colombia, where diverse water uses and inter-basin transfers—particularly from hydropower—have reduced downstream supply. The research aims to create a water balance and decision-making tool for regional authorities to manage water stress and governance challenges caused by fragmented planning units.

The study focuses on the Campoalegre river basin in the Colombian coffee region, where water use conflicts are exacerbated by complex governance and water transfers between adjacent basins. By developing a quantitative water balance, the study seeks to provide regional environmental authorities with a decision-making tool to identify current and future water stress and potential rationing needs. It highlights how the diversion of water for hydroelectric power and other human activities reduces downstream supply, a problem complicated by the fact that these transfers often cross different administrative planning units.

The document evaluates the water security of the Rocha River basin, identifying critical deficits in urban and agricultural supply and poor water quality. Using the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) system, it tests several strategies—including the Misicuni Multiple Project, new water transfers, wastewater treatment, and irrigation efficiency—finding that only integrated, combined strategies can guarantee water supply through 2050.

The document examines the gendered dimensions of water insecurity in the Lower Mekong Region, noting that women bear heavier caring burdens and are largely excluded from water governance, which remains a masculine technical domain. It highlights a disconnect between national gender policies and water policies, and argues that current gender mainstreaming is often tokenistic. The brief recommends involving women leaders in decision-making, integrating gender into water governance curricula, and creating partnerships between water and gender-mandated institutions.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) has announced the results of its Small Grant Program (SGP-HW) call for proposals. Following a multi-stage review process involving the IAI Directorate, the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), and external researchers, 10 proposals were shortlisted from an initial 92. Four projects were selected for immediate funding, three were approved subject to resource availability, and three were recommended for alternate funding. The program emphasizes transdisciplinary research and participatory approaches involving policy makers and stakeholders, with grants up to USD 200,000 to support research, capacity building, and data management.

On 25 July 2018, the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) convened a meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, to engage civil society in the APRM process. Participants identified 17 primary governance challenges, which were subsequently condensed into a thematic framework for a written submission. Key areas of concern include executive dominance, land access, youth unemployment, institutionalised corruption, and a lack of policy coherence. The IPPR is tasked with driving the drafting process, with a deadline for initial contributions set for the end of August 2018.

The South African Water Caucus (SAWC) identifies a state of "institutional crisis" within the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS), citing severe financial mismanagement, human resource challenges, and a failure to maintain water infrastructure. The document highlights the critical risk posed by 212 wastewater treatment plants and the lack of water quality reporting since 2013. SAWC urges the Ministry to prioritize the establishment of nine Catchment Management Agencies (CMAs), protect 22 strategic water source areas, and address the R60 billion estimated cost for treating acid-mine drainage from approximately 5,906 derelict and ownerless mines. The letter also calls for water allocation reform to address inequities where industrial agriculture receives 60% of water but Black emerging farmers receive only 3% of that allocation.

The document analyzes the critical link between forest cover and water security in the Cumbaza River micro-basin, noting that 85% of the area is degraded. It highlights how deforestation and climate variability increase sediment loads, affecting urban water treatment for 40,000 users in Tarapoto and reducing water availability for rice and aquaculture farmers. The brief recommends restoring 3,000 hectares in the upper basin by 2040 and 1,500 hectares in the Ahuashiyacu and Shilcayo sub-basins by 2050, while strengthening inter-institutional governance through the Cumbaza Micro-basin Management Committee.

The IAI Directorate implemented several capacity-building initiatives between 2017 and 2018, focusing on transdisciplinary research, science diplomacy, and science communication. Key activities included the São Paulo School of Advanced Science on Climate Change, which trained 119 graduate students from 30 countries, and the Professional Development Seminar (PDS) on Transdisciplinary Approaches to Integrating Policy and Science for Sustainability held in the Dominican Republic and Canada. The Directorate also engaged in science-policy collaboration through events in Mexico and the USA. To expand these efforts, the IAI proposes the creation of a Science & Technology Policy Fellowships program and a Research Internship Program, alongside a new Seed Grant Program for 2019-2020.

The guidance note outlines the processes for evaluating the climate impact of water infrastructure bonds. It details a Mitigation Assessment to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions against baselines and an Adaptation & Resilience Assessment based on a binary scorecard. The latter evaluates an issuer's Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan across four key areas: water allocation, governance, diagnostic technical assessments (including hydrologic modeling), and the robustness of adaptation strategies. The document emphasizes the use of science-based methodologies, such as the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol and IPCC climate projections, and provides extensive examples from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to illustrate compliance.

The paper argues that the 'water security' discourse often leads to the securitization of water challenges, which can justify the transgression of normative positions. In contrast, the authors propose a 'water equity' discourse that incorporates norm-critical considerations to empower sub-national agents and bypass traditional power-brokering cycles in addressing water controversies exacerbated by climate change.

The document challenges the narrative that water scarcity directly causes violent conflict, asserting instead that the 'politics of water'—including corruption, marginalization, and poor state management—increases conflict risks. While Africa faces significant physical water stress, with 65% of the population experiencing occasional stress and 82% of the continent being arid or semi-arid, empirical research suggests that scarcity often leads to cooperation rather than violence. Conflict typically emerges when water is treated as a 'club good' distributed based on political weight or social networks rather than need. This is particularly evident in the disparity between urban and rural access, the prioritization of cash crops for irrigation, and the rise of informal service providers, such as gangs and militias, who exploit water needs for profit in weak states.

The report evaluates 12 major diversified miners across transition risks, physical risks, transition opportunities, and climate governance, finding that while operational emissions are improving and capital is flowing toward low-carbon commodities, significant risks persist from downstream regulation and water stress.

The document analyzes the impact of governance on the implementation of the Robust Decision Support (RDS) process in Colombia and Peru. While both countries have restructured their water governance to be more inclusive, different institutional barriers hindered the process: Colombia's Regional Autonomous Corporations (CARs) faced capacity constraints due to broad environmental mandates, while Peru's fragmented system of national approval and local implementation created coordination challenges and marginalized local technical staff. The authors recommend formal agreements to secure staff time and the direct involvement of national data agencies to improve the success of science-informed water policy.

The report examines the conflict between the EU Water Framework Directive's environmental goals and Sweden's reliance on hydropower for approximately half of its electricity. It details efforts by the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) and the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA) to create a balanced national strategy, including a proposed cap on annual production loss to define 'significant adverse effect'. The document also reviews the Water Activity Review (WAR) recommendations, guidance for identifying Heavily Modified Water Bodies (HMWBs), and proposed financing mechanisms for environmental upgrades.

Guatemala faces severe ecological and societal challenges, including multiyear droughts and a lack of centralized water governance, which exacerbate poverty and food insecurity. These conditions, combined with rampant corruption and violence, drive migration toward the U.S. border. The document argues that the U.S. should leverage strategic frameworks like CARSI and the Alliance for Prosperity to support Guatemala's institutional reform and the development of a comprehensive legal framework for water governance to mitigate these security risks.