UN World Water Development Report
About the Report
The United Nations World Water Development Report (WWDR) is UN-Water’s flagship report on water and sanitation issues. Each year there is a different theme.
The report is published by UNESCO, on behalf of UN-Water. It gives insight on main trend concerning the state, use and management of freshwater and sanitation, based on work done by the Members and Partners of UN-Water.
The report, which comes out on World Water Day, provides decision makers with the knowledge and tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. It also offers best practices and in-depth analyses to stimulate ideas and actions for better stewardship in the water sector and beyond.
Read the Reports
2024 Report Water for Prosperity and Peace
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2024: Water for Prosperity and Peace highlights the wider significance of water for our lives and livelihoods. It explores water’s capacity to unite people and serve as a tool for peace, sustainable development, climate action and regional integration.
2023 Report Partnerships and Cooperation for Water
Sustainable Development Goal 6 is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. At current rates, progress towards SDG 6 is off-track. The inadequate rate of progress on water and sanitation highlights the need to explore opportunities through partnerships and cooperation. This report explores this theme, across regions, in relation to agriculture, environment, human settlements, industry, health and climate change.
2022 Report Groundwater Making the Invisible Visible
The report describes the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater across the world. It aims to establish a clear understanding of the role that groundwater plays in daily life, of its interactions with people, and of the opportunities for optimizing its use in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of this largely available yet fragile resource..
2021 Report: Valuing Water
The 2021 World Water Development Report on “Valuing Water” assesses the current status of, and challenges to, the valuation of water across different sectors and perspectives, and identifies ways in which valuation can be promoted as a tool to help achieve sustainability.
Previous reports
Reports were published every three years from 2003 through to 2012. As of 2014 the WWDR transformed into an annual, thematic report, focused on a different strategic water issue each year.