The Water Challenge: OECD's Response

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Water is vital for human and economic development, and for maintaining ecosystems. Poor governance and inadequate investment, however, are resulting in large populations not having access to the water services they need. Failure to manage water resources effectively is also resulting in increased pressure on these resources, mounting competition for their use among different economic activities, and, in some regions, conflict.

Topic Areas

• Achieving sustainable management of water in agriculture 
• Water pricing 
• Financing water supply and sanitation systems 
• Improving governance of water resources 
• Measuring aid for water
• Water efficiency
• Private sector participation in water infrastructure
• Innovation and technology for clean and drinkable water
• Sustainable Financing to Ensure Affordable Access to Water Supply and Sanitation
• Water Supply and Sanitation in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (EECCA) countries

OECD Observer articles

Speeches on water by the OECD Secretary-General

• Launch of the OECD Report "Managing Water for All: An OECD Perspective on Pricing and Financing", 17 March 2009, World Water Forum, Istanbul, Turkey
• The Financial and Economic Crisis and Water, 17 March 2009, World Water Forum, Istanbul, Turkey
• Launch of the OECD Report "Managing Water for All: an OECD Perspective on Pricing and Financing", 17 March 2009, World Water Forum, Istanbul, Turkey
• World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, 29 January 2009, Davos, Switzerland: Managing our future water needs: What can be done to provide the right incentives?
• Global Forum on Sustainable Development: Financing and Pricing Water: The Roles of Government Policies, the Private Sector and Civil Society, 1-2 December, Paris: Financing and pricing water: The roles of government policies, the private sector and civil society
• OECD International Advisory Committee of Expo Zaragoza 2008, 8 September 2008, Zaragoza, Spain: Water prices for agriculture
• World Water Congress, 1 September 2008, Montpellier, France, 1 September 2008, Montpellier, France: Water for All: A Matter of Good Governance - The OECD Perspective
• World Water Week, August 2008, Stockholm, Sweden: Pricing and Financing for Affordable Water and Sanitation: How Can Different Stakeholders Contribute?

OECD Water Events

• Tackling Global Water Challenges, Water Week 2009, 17-20 February 2009, World Bank, Washington D.C., United States

• Financing and Pricing Water: the roles of government policies, the private sector and civil society, 2008, Paris

• OECD DAC/EPOC Water Task Team - “Sustainable Financing to Ensure Affordable Access to Water Supply and Sanitation”

• Public-Private Partnerships in Water Supply and Sanitation – Recent Trends and New Opportunities,  2006, Paris

• Financing Water and Environmental Infrastructure for All, 2003, Paris

Additional Information

• Wasser: OECD-Berichte über die wichtigsten Herausforderungen
  

Press Release

• OECD Global Forum calls for more investment in water and sanitation (December 2008)

Contact us 

For more information, please contact water@oecd.org.

Last update: 6 April 2009