Catalyzing Water for Sustainable Development and Growth

This report is an independent evidence-based analysis of how water can be addressed in a development agenda beyond 2015. It forecasts what might be needed in terms of financial investment, governance, and capacity and examines what these needs imply for implementation.

• Water should not be treated as a “sector” alone but as a cross-linked issue given its crosscutting nature and essential roles in social and economic development and environmental integrity. Tweet
• Implementation of water-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) must be built upon comprehensive national water assessments and linked to national development strategies. Tweet
• All SDGs should follow eight fundamental principles based on desired outcomes and pragmatic attributes and include dimensions of economic growth, social development, and environmental management. Tweet
• Between 1.8 and 2.5 percent of the annual global GDP is needed for implementation of water-related SDGs, which would generate a minimum $3.1 trillion in additional benefits, a net benefit of $734 billion. Tweet