Leveraging the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure and UNDRR's Stress-testing tool to advance water infrastructure resiliency

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) (

United Nations / Multilateral body

)

#SDGAction50852

Description

Most hazards are directly or indirectly linked to water (e.g., flood, drought, typhoons/ cyclones, flash floods, landslides, and water quality emergencies). Over the last two decades, floods and droughts have affected more than 3 billion people. Disasters related to weather, climate, or water hazards have caused on average losses of US$ 202 million every day for the past 50 years.[1]

At the same time, disasters can have significant impacts on water infrastructure, causing damage to treatment plants, reservoirs, and distribution systems and leading to disruptions in the availability of clean drinking water and water supply for other activities, such as cooking, agriculture, and manufacturing processes.

Enhancing the resilience of water infrastructure and reducing disaster risks is thus paramount to achieving SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation. However, there are major barriers and challenges that have prevented progress in terms of water infrastructure resiliency, such as short-term thinking and planning which externalizes future risk creation, lack of local institutional capacity, inadequate policy and regulatory frameworks and capacity to enforce them, and insufficient investment, to name just a few.

[1] The World Bank (2021) at https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/06/17/floods-and-drought…; WMO (2021) at https://public.wmo.int/en/media/press-release/weather-related-disasters…

Expected Impact

With partners from government and industry, UNDRR has developed Principles for Resilient Infrastructure that provide guidelines and criteria to help stakeholders (governments, private sector, regulators, and communities) better understand what infrastructure resilience entails, and to ensure that resilience is embedded into infrastructure decisions and investments. These Principles are now being piloted and implemented at the national level and can be directly applied to the water sector. This work includes consideration of resilience to climate change impacts, contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as the role of green, blue and hybrid infrastructure solutions to minimize threats to the water sector, while recognizing the co-benefits provided by water ecosystems.

A limited understanding of the linkages between infrastructure assets and systems, for instance between water systems and the energy sector, is also often highlighted as a key challenge for strengthening infrastructure resilience. To address this issue, UNDRR has also developed a Resilient Infrastructure Stress Test tool that helps governments and stakeholders identify vulnerabilities, prioritize necessary improvements, and gain a better understanding of the inter-dependencies between infrastructure systems.

Partners

Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)

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 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.1.1

Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

9.1.2

Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

9.2

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.2.1

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

9.2.2

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

9.3

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

9.3.1

Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

9.3.2

Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.4.1

CO₂emission per unit of value added

9.5

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending

9.5.1

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

9.5.2

Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

9.a

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

9.a.1

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

9.b

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

9.b.1

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

9.c

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

9.c.1

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

SDG 14 targets covered

Name	Description

Deliverables & Timeline

31 December, 2025

Implementation of the Principles for Resilient Infrastructure and Stress-testing methodology with relevance to the water sector in at least three countries

Resources mobilized

Staff / Technical expertise

technical support

Partnership Progress

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False

Feedback

Action Network

Timeline

01 January 2023 (start date)

31 December 2025 (date of completion)

Entity

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)

SDGs

6 9

Region

Global

Other beneficiaries

private sector and investors

More information

https://www.undrr.org/publication/principles-resilient-infrastructure#:~:text=The%20Principles%20for%20Resilient%20Infrastructure%20describe%20a%20set,which%20enable%20health%2C%20education%2C%20etc.%20to%20function%20effectively.

Countries

Global

Contact Information

Mathieu, Head of Infrastructure and Finance for Resilience Unit

verougstraete@un.org