World Water Week 2023

World Water Week 2023 will focus on “Seeds of Change: Innovative Solutions for a Water-Wise World”, encouraging a re-envisioning of how the world manages water and exploring solutions to water-related challenges. This year’s conference will be held both online and in-person at the Waterfront Congress Center in Stockholm, Sweden. Passes must be purchased to attend. View the full programme.

World Water Week is the leading conference on global water issues, curated by Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and convened by world-leading organizations that share their latest insights. The conference features a wide range of topics, including the water impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, poverty, food security, agriculture, health, technology, and more.

Find WRI at these events. This page will be continuously updated.

 

Sunday, August 20

Aligning and Accelerating Collective Action for Water Stewardship

• Time: 14:00-15:30 CEST / 8:00-9:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: C3 and online
• Description: Tackling water challenges requires collective action. The UN 2023 Water Conference initiated a dialogue on collective action, with the aim of aligning thinking, geographies and understanding of ground-level capacity as well as reassessing how shared work is funded. Through presentations, panel discussions and break-out discussions, this session will build on these dialogues and present a new publication on collective action. The paper synthesizes lessons learned, shares the latest set of “collective action catchments” and presents a vision for innovative ways to fund and scale collective action. The water community is often collaborative, however, there are many examples of collective action initiatives competing in the same basin, resulting in fractured, inefficient efforts. This work can be scaled through a combination of leveraging grants and debt capital to enable a diversity of actors who can drive solutions.
• Convenors: Alliance for Water Stewardship, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH, The CEO Water Mandate, The Rivers Trust, World Resources Institute, World Wide Fund for Nature
• WRI contact: Caroline Black, Research Analyst II, Water Program, WRI

 

Monday, August 21

 

Developing a Payment for Ecosystem Services Framework in Ethiopia

Register

• Time: 10:30-11:00 CEST / 4:30-5:00 a.m. EDT
• Location: Online
• Description: The Koga irrigation reservoir, found in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region and within the Tana Subbasin, supports over 10,000 smallholder farmers and is considered a successful investment in smallholder irrigation. However, the reservoir faces siltation due to upstream catchment degradation which threatens irrigation potential and local livelihoods. Establishing a PES scheme between the upstream and downstream communities could help resolve this problem, helping deliver benefits to both communities. However, in-country experience to implement PES is limited. The session will cover lessons in developing the foundation of such a scheme. The 30-minute session will delve into the local challenges, the activities being undertaken in the Koga catchment to lay the groundwork for a PES scheme, and studies being undertaken on ecosystem services valuation and willingness of the communities to be involved, followed by a facilitated question and answer session.
• Convenors: World Resources Institute, Helvetas Swiss-Intercooperation, Abbay Basin Development Office
• WRI contact: Zablon Adane, Associate, WRI Ethiopia

 

Water in Business: From Commitments to Transformation 

• Time: 16:00-16:30 CEST / 10:00-10:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: A1, On-site & Online 
• Description: During the UN Water Conference in March, more than 700 commitments and pledges were made to the Water Action Agenda. Many of them involving cross-sector collaborations and partnerships. How do we maintain the momentum from New York to drive forward substantive change? For the private sector, the Water Action Agenda could be seen as an inspiring springboard. But how do we make sure that these commitments become actions and not only words on paper? And what steps need to be taken by the rest of society to encourage business to value water differently? The first Water in Business discussion will focus on partnership, collaboration, and multi-sector solutions. Key questions will include: how do we create cross-sector initiatives and what is needed for the private sector to follow through on its pledges? 
• Convenors: SIWI, Government of the Netherlands 
• WRI contact: Caroline Black, Research Analyst II, Water Program, WRI

 

SIWI Seminar (2/3): Innovation and the Geopolitics of Water

• Time: 16:00-17:30 CEST / 10:00-11:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: C3
• Description: Digital change plays a crucial role in the future of transboundary water cooperation and water diplomacy as preventive peace mediation. This session explores the emergence of new actors and approaches in the field of digital water diplomacy. With regional examples and case studies from the Middle East and North Africa, the session will focus on the challenges and opportunities related to innovative technologies in multi-track peace mediation, emerging technologies and approaches in water resources management and negotiations, promoting realization of human rights, local ownership, inclusivity, and transparency.
• Convenors: Government of Finland, Finnish Water Forum, International Crisis Group, United States Institute of Peace, World Meteorological Organization, Stockholm International Water Institute
• WRI contact: Sam Kuzma, Aqueduct Data Lead, Water Program, WRI

 

SIWI Seminar (1/3): Innovation for Water and Climate

• Time: 19:00-20:00 CEST / 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT
• Location: Online
• Description: This session looks into a just transition to sustainable water systems in a way that promotes social equity and fairness, and the role of innovation in ensuring new technologies that are sustainable and equitable. We also dive into innovative policies that can relieve the usual disproportionate burdens on vulnerable communities.
• Convenors: WRI, India Climate Collaborative, WELL Labs (Water Environment Land and Livelihood Labs), Human Right 2 Water
• WRI contact: Amanda Gcanga, South Africa Lead for Urban Water Resilience & Senior Urban Policy Analyst, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

 

Tuesday, August 22

 

SIWI Seminar (2/3): Water and Climate in Cities

• Time: 9:00-10:30 CEST / 3:00-4:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: C3 & Online
• Description: This session explores technological, policy and social innovation in cities. Cities are vulnerable to climate change threats including flooding and heatwaves. We highlight how innovation can help address these problems through technological development and behavior changes. The session also looks into understanding how innovation can help the most vulnerable communities.
• Convenors: WRI, India Climate Collaborative, WELL Labs (Water Environment Land and Livelihood Labs), Human Right 2 Water
• WRI contact: Amanda Gcanga, South Africa Lead for Urban Water Resilience & Senior Urban Policy Analyst, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and Todd Gartner, Director, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative, WRI

 

SIWI Seminar (3/3): Innovation for Water and Climate

• Time: 11:00-12:30 CEST / 5:00-6:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: C4
• Description: This session explores technological, policy and social innovation in cities. Cities are vulnerable to climate change threats including flooding and heatwaves. We highlight how innovation can help address these problems through technological development and behavior changes. The session also looks into understanding how innovation can help the most vulnerable communities.
• Convenors: WRI, India Climate Collaborative, WELL Labs (Water Environment Land and Livelihood Labs), Human Right 2 Water
• WRI contact: Amanda Gcanga, South Africa Lead for Urban Water Resilience & Senior Urban Policy Analyst, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

 

Wednesday, August 23

 

Assess and Address Risk in Livestock Value Chains

Register

• Time: 1:00-2:00 CEST / 7:00-8:00 a.m. EDT
• Location: Changing Room at the Epicenter (side event)
• Description: WRI and Mars collaborated on an effort to calculate the company’s water footprint and assess risk for eight livestock commodities within its value chain. WRI created an interactive tool built from the assessment methodology. This session will offer a blueprint and lessons learned for how companies can implement autonomous water risk monitoring tools and showcase the steps that WRI undertook to develop an internal tool for Mars to assess its livestock water footprint and risks.
• Convenors: WRI, Mars
• WRI contact: Caroline Black, Research Analyst II, Water Program, WRI

 

Empowering Water Operators with Innovative Tools for Sustainable Operations

• Time: 4:00-15:30 CEST / 2:00-3:30 EDT
• Location: C2 and Online
• Description: In the Latin America and Caribbean region, operators in the water and sanitation sector are taking the lead in adopting innovative practices, tools, and methodologies to support sustainable water use and long-term planning. This session will showcase selected strategies, methodologies, tools, and technologies that can improve access to water and increase management and operational efficiency. In this session, operators will give their perspectives on innovation management, we will present innovative tools and methodologies available to operators, and we will provide practical examples on successful application of innovative solutions and practices.
• Convenors: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Agua y Saneamientos Argentinos (AySA), National Water Commission, Mexico (CONAGUA), World Resources Institute (WRI), RTI International.
• WRI contact: Laura Bulbena, Nature-Based Solutions Specialist, Cities4Forests, WRI

 

Enabling a Water Resilient Future: The Aqueduct Future Projections Launch

Register

• Time: 4:15-5:15 CEST / 10:15-11:15 a.m. EDT
• Location: Changing Room at the Epicenter (side event)
• Description: To achieve sustainable water management, it must be resilient to future uncertainty driven by climate change and socioeconomic development. This session will officially launch the Aqueduct Future Projections of water supply, demand, and stress with a tool demonstration followed by an interactive conversation on how to incorporate projections into decision-making.
• Convenors: WRI
• WRI contact: Sam Kuzma, Aqueduct Data Lead, Water Program, WRI

 

Thursday, August 24

Launching Global Water Watch

Register

• Time: 8:30-10:00 CEST / 2:30-4:00 a.m. EDT
• Location: Changing Room at the Epicenter (side event)
• Description: Join us for the launch of Global Water Watch, a new platform serving global, near-real time reservoir storage data. Experts will discuss benefits the new platform will provide for transboundary water management and water management authorities. This event is co-organized by Deltares, World Resources Institute and World Wildlife Fund with support from Google and the Water, Peace, and Security Partnership.
• Convenors: WRI, Deltares, WWF
• WRI contact: Liz Saccoccia, Water Security Associate, Water Program, WRI

 

Pioneering Freshwater Science-Based Targets to Advance Corporate Water Stewardship

Register

• Time: 12:45-14:15 CEST / 6:45-8:15 a.m. EDT
• Location: Changing Room at the Epicenter (side event)
• Description: The recent launch of the first science-based targets (SBTs) for nature takes steps to address key needs in setting water targets and advancing corporate water stewardship. Building on efforts from the UN 2023 Water Conference, this interactive session will cover how SBT for Freshwater interconnects with the existing guidance, initiatives, and standards designed to help companies with their water stewardship. Participants will also hear from companies piloting the SBTN’s target validation process and learn where service providers can support companies through SBTN’s target-setting process.
• Convenors: WWF, CDP, The Nature Conservancy, WRI, CEO Water Mandate, Alliance for Water Stewardship
• WRI contact: Sara Walker, Director, Corporate Water Engagement, WRI

 

Joint Water Risk Tools

Register

• Time: 2:30-3:30 CEST / 8:30-9:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: Changing Room at the Epicenter (side event)
• Description: In this session, attendees will learn about the similarities and differences between two global water risk tools — WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas and WWF’s Water Risk Filter — as well as how these two tools can support companies in informing their corporate reporting, business strategy and target-setting processes.
• Convenors: WRI, WWF
• WRI contact: Sara Walker, Director, Corporate Water Engagement, WRI

 

Delivering Climate Sensitive Water Resilience Through Partnerships 

• Time: 09:00-10:30 CEST / 3:00-4:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: A2
• Description: This hybrid session, co-hosted by implementers working in Africa and the UK, will showcase examples of previous and current work in Botswana, Nigeria and Rwanda, where partnerships have been key to unlocking resilience-building efforts from the local to national scale. The benefits and barriers of partnerships will be explored, such as collaborating at different levels of implementation and limited financing. This session aims to inspire and equip stakeholders and leaders to build effective alliances to share risks, capabilities and ultimately enable successful long-lasting endeavors to ensure climate resilience and water security.
• Convenors: Arup, WRI, Resilient Cities Network, World Bank, Alliance for Global Water Adaptation, Government of Botswana, Resilient Water Accelerator, Nexsys Analytics, HR Wallingford 
• WRI contact: Hellen Wanjohi-Opil, Resilience African Cities Lead, WRI Africa

 

Standardizing Methods for Evaluating Water Quality Benefits of Stewardship Activities

• Time: 11:00-12:30 CEST / 5:00-6:30 a.m. EDT
• Location: A2 and online
• Description: LimnoTech, The Nature Conservancy, and World Resources Institute will introduce standardized methods for evaluating water quality benefits of water stewardship activities. This Water Quality Benefit Accounting guidance is designed to be technically robust yet practical to implement around the globe. Session participants will provide feedback on the draft approach.
• Convenors: AB InBev, Amazon Web Services, Cargill, The Coca-Cola Company, Google, LimnoTech, Meta, Starbucks, The Nature Conservancy, WRI.
• WRI contact: Sara Walker, Director, Corporate Water Engagement, WRI

 

Transforming Water Financing: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future

• Time: 14:00-15:30 CEST / 8:00-9:30 AM EDT
• Location: C2 and online
• Description: This session will discuss successful cases of innovative financing mechanisms and address the main challenges and solutions to creating an environment of sustainability in the water and sanitation sector. It will include presentations on new instruments developed by multilateral banks, agencies, donors (i.e. Projects for Results, impact bonds, sustainability linked-loans and others); cases about financing nature-based solutions; water resource management; and climate resilience and circular economy.
• Convenors: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Water for People, WRI, Amazon
• Cooperation Treaty Organization (OCTA) Organization of American States (OAS), The Nature Conservancy
• WRI contact: Todd Gartner, Director, Cities4Forests & Natural Infrastructure Initiative, WRI

 

Cover image by redcharlie/Unsplash