Water is at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, flows across borders and sectors, and is a key enabler to address the most pressing global challenges. Climate change, biodiversity and ecosystem loss, food and energy production, and population increase are only some examples where water plays a critical role.
However, the implementation of SDG 6 as well as other water-related goals and targets is still far behind. This is why the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV), on behalf of the entire German government, initiated the Water Dialogues for Results. The BMUV recognises that the global water and sanitation crisis calls for an immediate global response, especially in light of the run-up to the United Nations Water Conference in March 2023.
With the aim of accelerating the cross-sectoral implementation of SDG 6, the BMUV held a virtual dialogue series from February to June 2021, involving UN member states, representatives of the UN Major Groups and international organisations. The outcome of the dialogue were policy recommendations and key messages for governments and service providers, multilateral organisations and the UN system to take fast, coordinated and cross-sectoral action to reach SDG 6 by 2030. They have been presented at the High-Level Ministerial Conference on SDG 6 in Bonn in July 2021, and will continuously contribute to the preparatory process leading up to the 2023 UN Water Conference. To date, the key messages have been supported by more than 60 UN member states.
