Regional Water Action Agenda: Towards Universal Access to Clean Water and Sanitation

Clean water and safe sanitation are the very foundation of life and good health. Still, many people in our region cannot access these basic services. In fact, the most vulnerable are the most affected, with 25% less access to these services. In addition, unequal water pricing systems cause a situation in which the quintile with the greatest needs can pay up to twice as much, proportionally, as the richest quintile.

This situation can change if regional actions are taken and financing strategies are generated. According to ECLAC, A public and private investment boost equivalent to 1.3% of regional GDP is needed over a 10-year period to ensure the achievement of SDG6. Thus, the results of the Regional Water Dialogues were presented at the United Nations Water Conference 2023endorsing the call to action to increase regional efforts, especially regarding investments in the most vulnerable communities.

Harnessing action for SDG 6 in Latin America and the Caribbean

The third edition of the Regional Water Dialogues for Latin America and the Caribbeanorganized by ECLAC in February, was part of the regional preparatory process for the 2023 United Nations Water Conference.

Representatives from more than 70 countries attended, including 20 countries in the region, along with representatives from academia, the private sector, NGOs, and civil society. All, united with the objective of accelerating the regional progress of the SDG6, related to clean water and sanitation.

The participants approved a Regional Water Action Agenda for Latin America and the Caribbean that aligns and reinforces various treaties, agreements and strategies around water management. In summary, it is a call to action to move towards a sustainable and inclusive water transition, based on four pillars of action:

• Guarantee the human right to drinking water and sanitation by strongly promoting investment in the sector, leaving no one behind.
• Promote regulatory and policy changes to promote equitable and affordable access, and thus eradicate water poverty, with innovative instruments that include social tariffs.
• Reverse the growing negative externalities associated with pollution, overexploitation and socio-environmental conflicts by promoting control and regulation.
• Change the current linear management for circular systems, to reduce the pressure on water resources, establishing a trend of decoupling between extraction and gross domestic product.

In addition, it was launched Network and Observatory for Water Sustainability (ROSA) of Latin America and the Caribbeanfocused on strengthening collaboration in sustainable water management in the region.

Moving towards clean water solutions for everyone, everywhere

ECLAC participated in the 2023 United Nations World Water Conference in New York, from March 22 to 24, sharing the perspectives of Latin America and the Caribbean on the progress of SDG6. It is the first event of its kind since the 1977 United Nations Water Conference in Argentina, 46 years ago.

The countries agreed on a Global Water Action Agenda which consists of a set of voluntary commitments and a roadmap for 2028 and 2030. They reinforce that water is, among other things, an engine for equality, a solution to the climate crisis and a facilitator of peace. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the Regional Water Action Agenda It occurred in multiple instances.

ECLAC highlighted the need to promote democratic water governance by strengthening technical capacities for decision-making and advancing in the construction of a sustainable and inclusive water transition. He stressed the urgent need in the region for integrated water resources management practices, to increase resilience to climate change and mitigate the impact of disasters; adopt new investment models and form public-private partnerships to finance this transition; and harmonize political processes for decision-making, monitoring and management of transboundary waters. With this, the vision, concern, needs, lessons and commitments of Latin America and the Caribbean have been reflected in the global water action agenda.