The global disparity in access to water resources and services, as well as the impacts of climate-related water shocks, necessitates a comprehensive response to enhance water accessibility, bolster climate resilience, alleviate poverty, and promote shared prosperity.
Water security forms the bedrock of shared prosperity. It is indispensable for drinking and food production, which are fundamental for a healthy and productive life. Additionally, it is an essential input for economic growth, especially in the agricultural sector. Water also sustains healthy ecosystems and renders our planet habitable.
However, the world is grappling with a water crisis. The divide between those who have access to water ("haves") and those who do not ("have nots") exacerbates global inequality and fragility. In 2022 alone, 2.2 billion people were without access to safely managed drinking water; 3.5 billion lacked safely managed sanitation; and 2 billion were devoid of basic hygiene services. To achieve the water-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, swift, collective action on a larger scale is imperative.
A joint publication by the World Bank and the Indonesian government titled 'Water for Shared Prosperity' delves into the relationship between water and inclusive growth. It offers insights that can shape practical solutions to this crisis while managing our precious water resources more effectively. The report underscores significant disparities within countries regarding access to water services and exposure to climate risks.
Despite improvements in access to water and sanitation services across all income groups globally, population growth in low-income countries has outpaced these advancements. Between 2000 and 2022, the number of people without access to safely managed drinking water increased by 197 million while those lacking basic sanitation rose by 211 million. Furthermore, in these countries, there has been little improvement in access to improved water and sanitation services at schools or health facilities since 2014.
The report reveals that high poverty correlates with low access to drinking water and sanitation. Approximately 1.6 billion people worldwide live in regions characterized by high poverty and low access, a figure projected to double by 2050 if current trends persist.
Climate change is set to exacerbate water risks globally as rising temperatures result in unpredictable weather patterns and extreme weather events. Developing countries, which are least equipped to adapt, are more susceptible to widespread and intense droughts, higher flood risks, and longer-lasting floods than developed nations. Within these countries, poorer households bear the brunt of climate shocks.
The report also highlights that low-income countries face a higher risk of seasonal variability in available water supply compared to other income groups. This could impact job creation and economic growth as nearly 60 percent of people in low-income countries work in agriculture.
To enhance water security while reducing poverty and promoting shared prosperity, the report recommends three key interventions: enhancing resilience to floods and droughts; improving water resources development, management, and allocation; and improving equitable and inclusive delivery of water services.
'Water for Shared Prosperity' showcases Indonesian innovations aimed at addressing water insecurity and boosting shared prosperity. One such initiative is Indonesia’s community-based water supply program, PAMSIMAS. Supported by the World Bank between 2006 and 2022, PAMSIMAS has provided more than 24.4 million people with access to improved water facilities and 16.4 million people with access to sanitation facilities.
The World Bank has prioritized action on water security as part of its mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. It aims to strengthen water security through integrated planning, reforms, investment in various sectors related to water management, and disaster risk reduction.