UNESCO Releases New Science-Based Water Assessment Guidelines for Sustainable Water Management
The Sustainable Water Future Programme welcomes the release of the new UNESCO publication, Science-based National Water Assessment: A Blueprint for Sustainable Water Management – Demonstration Case from the Republic of Korea.
Published by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (UNESCO-IHP), the report provides practical and science-based water assessment guidelines to help countries strengthen sustainable water management, improve national water governance, and support evidence-based decision-making.
The publication introduces a flexible framework for national water assessment that can be adapted to different country contexts, institutional capacities, and development priorities. The guidelines integrate hydrological science, environmental indicators, socio-economic analysis, governance systems, and decision-support approaches into a comprehensive assessment process.
Why the UNESCO Water Assessment Guidelines Matter
Many countries continue to face increasing water stress due to climate change, rapid urbanization, ecosystem degradation, and growing demands on water resources. At the same time, national water assessment systems are often fragmented across institutions and sectors.
The new UNESCO water assessment guidelines help address these challenges by promoting:
- Integrated water resources assessment
- Science-based decision support
- Cross-sectoral water governance
- National water security planning
- Flexible and scalable assessment approaches
- Improved monitoring and evaluation systems
The framework is designed to support countries at different stages of technical and institutional capability, making it relevant for both developed and developing country contexts.
Demonstration Case from the Republic of Korea
The report includes a demonstration application from the Republic of Korea that illustrates how science-based national water assessment can support long-term planning, policy integration, and adaptive water management.
The Korean case study demonstrates how countries can combine scientific evidence, governance mechanisms, and data systems to improve sustainable water management outcomes while remaining flexible to evolving environmental and societal conditions.
Strengthening the Science–Policy Interface
The publication reflects growing international recognition that effective water governance requires stronger integration between science, policy, institutions, and implementation systems.
The Sustainable Water Future Programme sees this work as an important contribution toward strengthening the global science-policy interface for water security and sustainability transitions.
We welcome continued collaboration with UNESCO-IHP, the Republic of Korea, and international partners to further refine and apply these science-based water assessment approaches across different regions and socio-ecological contexts.
Access the UNESCO Publication
The full report can be accessed here:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000397767.locale=en