Message from the co-chairs
Paul Bulcke
We live in a time of constant change. In the last year, the 2030 Water Resources Group has adapted how we do our work in response to these changes.
The result is our new strategic plan for 2023 to 2025.
In 2008 we developed a study that identified a 40 percent gap between water supply and demand by 2030. Today, this gap has reached 56 percent, according to the World Resources Institute.
It is more important than ever that we continue our work to make sure that there is enough water for people and the planet.
Channeling urgent public-private action to meet these challenges, our strategic plan gives new focus and momentum to 2030 WRG. Using our limited resources wisely to capitalize on the learnings from the last decade, 2030 WRG is supporting transformational programs around the world, building on the World Bank’s reach and impact.
We will focus on using collective action and partnership approaches in the next phase of activity from 2023-2025, with the aim of helping countries meet the water-related Sustainable Development Goals and address the impacts of climate change.
We also aim to contribute new knowledge and thought leadership on critical themes, and drive innovation, to accelerate the pace of implementation on water security, both through our own work and that of our partners.
This executive summary provides a snapshot of what we have already achieved under this strategy.
Juergen and I wish to thank our global Governing Council, and Steering Board members for their renewed commitments to the innovative and focused efforts of 2030 WRG’s program for the next three years.
Juergen Voegele
The World Bank is aiming to support more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth through its Global Challenge Programs.
2030 WRG’s work fits well into this vision of building partnerships, and scaling up financing and innovation for greater impact.
This year, 2030 WRG has been an essential part of a significant collaboration across the World Bank to create a strategic framework for scaling up finance for water. It is the first effort by the World Bank (including 2030 WRG, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency) to jointly engage on programmatic- and project-level opportunities in the water sector, unlocking private sector expertise, innovation, and capital, to contribute towards water security and long-term development objectives.
Paul and I are grateful to our in-country partners around the globe. Many of them have already made great strides in the areas of water-efficient technologies in wastewater and climate-smart agriculture, for example, and in other inspiring solutions, including innovative financing mechanisms.
The agri-water accelerator from Uttar Pradesh, India, for example, leverages government programs while mobilizing private finance to support 1 million small and marginal farmers as they adopt sustainable and climate-smart innovations for water management. The accelerator is enhancing incomes, improving agricultural productivity, and reducing the water and emissions footprint in agriculture.
I look forward to another year of making impact together, working at a local level while sharing global lessons.