Despite more than a decade of substantial water-related research outcomes (e.g. through the Global Water System Project) and assessment (e.g., The United Nations World Water Develop Report), to date there is no formal compendium of integrated, distilled, global knowledge on the state of global water that can allow countries to tackle macro-level water challenges.
Whilst climate scientists and allied researchers at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been successful in bringing together global and comprehensive summaries on the state of climate change through their series of Assessment Reports, no similar series is available for the global state of water. Through this theme Water Future will develop conceptual and methodological innovations to improve analysis and diagnostic capabilities and assess risk to humans and the global water system through appropriate risk related metrics.
To assessing the global state of water, the programme will develops conceptual and methodological innovations to improve analysis and diagnostic tools. In addition, assessments will also monitor progress towards achievement of the SDGs.