Co-developing Pathways towards Water Sustainability in a Time of Global Change

University of Saskatchewan, Global Institute for Water Security (

Academic institution

)

#SDGAction50737

Description

The University of Saskatchewan Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS) through its Global Water Futures program (GWF) has focussed on the regional hydroclimate of northern North America and mountain cold regions around the world in order to: (1) improve disaster warning and develop forecasting capacity to predict the risk and severity of extreme events; (2) predict water futures through the use of Big Data and improved numerical models to assess changes in human/natural land and water systems; and (3) inform adaptation to change and risk management through governance mechanisms, management strategies, and policy tools and guidance. It has established 64 projects and core teams and 76 observation sites to address these objectives and is managed by a Strategic Management Committee drawn from multiple universities and government and advised by an International Advisory Committee, an Indigenous Advisory Committee, and a User Committee. Ultimate decision-making is by an Oversight Committee formed of Vice Presidents Research from the four core partner universities: Saskatchewan, Waterloo, McMaster and Wilfrid Laurier.

Expected Impact

It has helped establish Canadian global leadership in developing water solutions for cold regions and has become the largest and most cited grouping of academic water scientists in the world. GWF has improved the scientific underpinning that supports disaster warning from floods, droughts, and water quality degradation episodes and through new code and computer technologies, is delivering state-of-the-art prediction systems. The programme continues to diagnose the varied dimensions of changing water futures under climate, water resources development and ecosystem change and has built the models that can predict these futures. It is synthesizing assessments of water futures and deploying models to predict the impacts of changing water on people, the environment, and the economy. It has shown that evidence-informed decision-making supports appropriate and therefore sustainable water access and management solutions – solutions that are appropriate to water quality and quantity, environmental conditions, and available resources. GWF has engaged diverse experts and individuals in the research design, implementation, and evaluation to bridge knowledge generation with knowledge application. We have demonstrated that diversity is a catalyst for innovation and leads to more inclusive solutions. We have found that this diversity must cut across disciplines, knowledge systems, sectors, stakeholders, and rights holders. GWF research is thereby ready to contribute to inclusive and evidence-informed solutions for achieving water sustainability for Canada and around the world. We can help show how to codevelop societal pathways towards water sustainability.

Partners

Global Water Futures program (18 universities and over 500 partners), Global Water Futures Observatories project (8 universities), UNESCO Chair in Mountain Water Sustainability

Additional information

www.water.usask.ca

SDGS & Targets

Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

6.1

By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.1.1

Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services

6.2

By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

6.2.1

Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

6.3

By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

6.3.1

Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

6.3.2

Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

6.4

By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

6.4.1

Change in water-use efficiency over time

6.4.2

Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

6.5

By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

6.5.1

Degree of integrated water resources management

6.5.2

Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation

6.6

By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes

6.6.1

Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

6.a

By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies

6.a.1

Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan

6.b

Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

6.b.1

Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

Goal 11

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

11.1

By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums

11.1.1

Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing

11.2

By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons

11.2.1

Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

11.3

By 2030, enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management in all countries

11.3.1

Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate

11.3.2

Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically

11.4

Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

11.4.1

Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)

11.5

By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations

11.5.1

Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

11.5.2

Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)

11.5.3

(a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters

11.6

By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

11.6.1

Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities

11.6.2

Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)

11.7

By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities

11.7.1

Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities

11.7.2

Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months

11.a

Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning

11.a.1

Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space

11.b

By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels

11.b.1

Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

11.b.2

Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

11.c

Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials

Goal 13

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

13.1

Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

13.1.1

Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

13.1.2

Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

13.1.3

Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

13.2

Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

13.2.1

Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

13.2.2

Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

13.3

Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

13.3.1

Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

13.a

Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

13.a.1

Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

13.b

Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities

13.b.1

Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

False

Feedback

Action Network

Timeline

01 September 2016 (start date)

31 March 2029 (date of completion)

Entity

University of Saskatchewan, Global Institute for Water Security

SDGs

6 11 13

Region

North America
Global

Other beneficiaries

Indigenous peoples in the circumpolar north and across Canada.

More information

www.globalwaterfutures.ca

Countries

Canada

Chile

China

India

Kazakhstan

Nepal

Tajikistan

United States of America

Contact Information

John, Professor

john.pomeroy@usask.ca