statUs oF INtegrated water resoUrces maNagemeNt ImPLemeNtatIoN aNd

Box 1. The COVID-19 pandemic has hindered progress in IWRM implementation globally, but it also offers opportunities for building back better6

The COVID-19 pandemic has had some negative impacts on water management, including delays in implementation of policies and plans (Maldives); delays in installing monitoring stations (Philippines); and reduced budgets for water sector investments (Sudan). However, the pandemic has also revealed the importance of water management, most obviously to ensure a secure supply of clean water, and adequate sanitation and hygiene (WASH) (SDG targets 6.1 and 6.2).

Beyond WASH, cross-sectoral coordination, such as in planning for irrigation and watershed management, has helped to ensure food (SDG 2) and water despite impacted supply chains (Philippines). Protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems (SDG target 6.6), and transboundary cooperation over water resources (SDG indicator 6.5.2), are becoming more urgent to build resilience to the social and economic impacts of pandemics (Czech Republic). Other countries point to the need to maintain or increase budgets for water resources management (Pakistan, Panama).

The pandemic has also provided opportunities to improve stakeholder participation. Some countries have turned constraints on physical meetings into better and broader participatory processes by allowing stakeholders more flexible participation through online facilities (Guatemala). This approach has offered opportunities for stronger and potentially more cost-effective stakeholder participation (Samoa), though more reliable power (SDG 7) and internet (SDG 9) is needed in some areas (South Sudan).

6 The blue boxes throughout this report present a selection of country experiences from the 2020 reporting round.