World Water Forum
Bali 2024
Introduction
The 10th World Water Forum was held from May 18 to 25, 2024, in Bali, Indonesia. Hosted in Southeast Asia, the Forum marked a decade since the previous forum in the region (Daegu-Gyeongbuk, 2015). This event took place at a critical time as the global community assessed its progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. As Indonesia is made up of several islands, it is particularly vulnerable to the effects of “too much water”, especially regarding rising sea levels. This is why it was the ideal place to hold this Forum to discuss our shared responsibility to protect the resource and to create innovative solutions to face the threat water can pose due to climate divagation.
10th World Water Forum : "Water for Shared Prosperity"
Under the theme “Water for Shared Prosperity,” the Forum convened a diverse range of stakeholders, including Heads of State and Ministers, who attended the high-level Ministerial Meeting, international organisations, such as the UN, the World Bank and regional development banks, local authorities and parliamentarians, civil Society, academia and the private sector. This theme underscored the necessity of achieving equity and sustainable development through water management. Indeed, the Bali World Water Forum acknowledged that water scarcity and pollution disproportionately affect the poorest and most vulnerable communities, making water a key factor in geopolitical stability and economic growth. The discussions were built around six core sub-themes to guide action and dialogue:
- Water Security and Prosperity
- Water for Humans and Nature
- Water Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
- Governance, Cooperation, and Diplomacy
- Sustainable Water Finance
- Knowledge and Innovation
The Bali Forum emphasised interconnectedness, highlighting that water solutions must be integrated into climate, energy, food, and urban planning policies to be effective. This 10th World Water Forum served as a vital platform to launch new global initiatives and establish a consensus on the need for accelerated action, recognising that climate divagation is making the world’s water crisis an emergency of unprecedented scale.
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Highlights of the 10th World Water Forum
Political commitment: “Ministerial Declaration on Water for Shared Prosperity”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet
Adopted by over 100 governments, this Ministerial Declaration solidified the commitment to accelerate the implementation of the UN Water Action Agenda. More crucially, it led to the formal endorsement of concrete initiatives, including the adoption of Indonesia’s proposals to establish a Center of Excellence on Water and Climate Resilience (to focus on capacity building and research for small island states) and the creation of an annual World Lake Day. The Declaration was accompanied by a Compendium of Actions detailing 113 clean water and sanitation projects valued at approximately USD 9.4 billion.
Citizens’ participation: an important space left for Youth Engagement
Over 75,000 participants and visitors attended the Forum, with high representation from the host region. Because Youth are an essential part of our shared duty regarding water, more than 4,000 youth participants were actively involved in the sessions. It ensured inter-generational perspectives were integrated into the solutions, particularly in discussions on climate resilience and future water security.
A multi-layered political process
Building on the successes of the previous World Water Forums, this 10th Forum also proudly encouraged different political processes, from local initiatives to more international discussions. High-level involvement from the Global Commission on the Economics of Water and the UN Special Rapporteur helped bridge expert academic and economic analysis with policy decisions, ensuring a holistic approach to water valuation.
What can we learn from this forum ?
The 10th World Water Forum successfully translated global dialogue into tangible, implementation-focused commitments. A major outcome was the Ministerial Declaration, which was accompanied by a crucial Compendium of Actions.
The Bali World Water Forum institutionalised key actions from the UN 2023 Water Conference, cementing its role as the necessary execution phase for the global Water Action Agenda. In this context, the Bali Forum produced implementable results, focusing on digital innovation and climate adaptation: it championed the integration of Digital Water and Innovation, with commitments to leverage artificial intelligence and satellite monitoring for smart, predictive water systems
Furthermore, the concept of Water Diplomacy was enhanced, formalising transboundary agreements as vital tools for regional stability and conflict prevention. The strong focus on the Local and Regional Authorities track elevated the role of cities, recognising them as the essential frontline executors of global water solutions. This multi-layered approach underscored the political necessity of stronger multi-level governance to deliver services. Ultimately, the Forum solidified the political framing of water as a Global Public Good, justifying the need for massive, concerted international financing and cooperation.
Digital water and innovation commitments
A proposed commitment was to establish an international hub dedicated to promoting the adoption of digital technologies (AI, satellite monitoring, IoT) for water management. This implies a push for smart, predictive water systems that can optimise irrigation, detect leaks, and forecast floods and droughts more accurately. Also, new commitments were discussed about standardised protocols for transboundary water data sharing, essential for managing shared river basins and mitigating upstream/downstream conflicts.
Acknowledging that digitalising water cannot happen without a strong financial commitment, the 10th World Water Forum focused heavily on scaling up blended finance (mixing public funds, private capital, and grants) to meet the estimated investment gap for SDG 6. Commitments included developing new financial products tailored to local government capacity and attracting private investment in nature-based solutions. Also, using innovative solutions such as digital water cannot mean putting resilience planning behind. This is the reason why a commitment to integrate Water Resilience into National Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement was anticipated. This means countries commit to explicitly quantifying the role of water management (e.g., watershed restoration, green infrastructure) in achieving their national climate targets.
Water diplomacy and peace
The political track prominently featured a High-Level Panel on Hydro-diplomacy and Peace, underscoring the political commitment to use transboundary water cooperation as a tool for regional stability and conflict prevention, directly involving key officials and institutions dedicated to shared water resources. Water diplomacy is a critical framework that positions transboundary water resources not as sources of conflict, but as catalysts for regional cooperation and peace. The 10th World Water Forum in Bali strongly emphasised this concept, aiming to move from reactive crisis management to proactive conflict prevention through dialogue. This process involves utilising water as a “connector” to build trust between nations and sectors, which is essential for joint management of shared basins and aquifers. By fostering cooperation, water diplomacy directly addresses climate change impacts, as transboundary water stress is increasingly linked to geopolitical instability and migration.
For example, the Forum highlighted the importance of establishing and maintaining joint commissions and scientific data-sharing protocols in river basins to ensure equitable allocation and predictable flow management, especially during droughts. Furthermore, the high-level focus on this area committed to providing resources and training for specialized mediators and negotiators to resolve water-related disputes before they escalate. Ultimately, the successful implementation of water diplomacy, as promoted in Bali, is recognized as fundamental to achieving not only water security but also long-term regional economic prosperity and security.
What can we remember from this forum?
The 10th World Water Forum successfully translated global dialogue into tangible, implementation-focused commitments. A major outcome was the Ministerial Declaration, which was accompanied by a crucial Compendium of Actions.
The Bali World Water Forum institutionalised key actions from the UN 2023 Water Conference, cementing its role as the necessary execution phase for the global Water Action Agenda. In this context, the Bali Forum produced implementable results, focusing on digital innovation and climate adaptation: it championed the integration of Digital Water and Innovation, with commitments to leverage artificial intelligence and satellite monitoring for smart, predictive water systems
Furthermore, the concept of Water Diplomacy was enhanced, formalising transboundary agreements as vital tools for regional stability and conflict prevention. The strong focus on the Local and Regional Authorities track elevated the role of cities, recognising them as the essential frontline executors of global water solutions. This multi-layered approach underscored the political necessity of stronger multi-level governance to deliver services. Ultimately, the Forum solidified the political framing of water as a Global Public Good, justifying the need for massive, concerted international financing and cooperation.
A proposed commitment was to establish an international hub dedicated to promoting the adoption of digital technologies (AI, satellite monitoring, IoT) for water management. This implies a push for smart, predictive water systems that can optimise irrigation, detect leaks, and forecast floods and droughts more accurately. Also, new commitments were discussed about standardised protocols for transboundary water data sharing, essential for managing shared river basins and mitigating upstream/downstream conflicts.
Acknowledging that digitalising water cannot happen without a strong financial commitment, the 10th World Water Forum focused heavily on scaling up blended finance (mixing public funds, private capital, and grants) to meet the estimated investment gap for SDG 6. Commitments included developing new financial products tailored to local government capacity and attracting private investment in nature-based solutions. Also, using innovative solutions such as digital water cannot mean putting resilience planning behind. This is the reason why a commitment to integrate Water Resilience into National Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement was anticipated. This means countries commit to explicitly quantifying the role of water management (e.g., watershed restoration, green infrastructure) in achieving their national climate targets.
The political track prominently featured a High-Level Panel on Hydro-diplomacy and Peace, underscoring the political commitment to use transboundary water cooperation as a tool for regional stability and conflict prevention, directly involving key officials and institutions dedicated to shared water resources. Water diplomacy is a critical framework that positions transboundary water resources not as sources of conflict, but as catalysts for regional cooperation and peace. The 10th World Water Forum in Bali strongly emphasised this concept, aiming to move from reactive crisis management to proactive conflict prevention through dialogue. This process involves utilising water as a “connector” to build trust between nations and sectors, which is essential for joint management of shared basins and aquifers. By fostering cooperation, water diplomacy directly addresses climate change impacts, as transboundary water stress is increasingly linked to geopolitical instability and migration.
For example, the Forum highlighted the importance of establishing and maintaining joint commissions and scientific data-sharing protocols in river basins to ensure equitable allocation and predictable flow management, especially during droughts. Furthermore, the high-level focus on this area committed to providing resources and training for specialized mediators and negotiators to resolve water-related disputes before they escalate. Ultimately, the successful implementation of water diplomacy, as promoted in Bali, is recognized as fundamental to achieving not only water security but also long-term regional economic prosperity and security.
Digital water and innovation commitments
A proposed commitment was to establish an international hub dedicated to promoting the adoption of digital technologies (AI, satellite monitoring, IoT) for water management. This implies a push for smart, predictive water systems that can optimise irrigation, detect leaks, and forecast floods and droughts more accurately. Also, new commitments were discussed about standardised protocols for transboundary water data sharing, essential for managing shared river basins and mitigating upstream/downstream conflicts.
Acknowledging that digitalising water cannot happen without a strong financial commitment, the 10th World Water Forum focused heavily on scaling up blended finance (mixing public funds, private capital, and grants) to meet the estimated investment gap for SDG 6. Commitments included developing new financial products tailored to local government capacity and attracting private investment in nature-based solutions. Also, using innovative solutions such as digital water cannot mean putting resilience planning behind. This is the reason why a commitment to integrate Water Resilience into National Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement was anticipated. This means countries commit to explicitly quantifying the role of water management (e.g., watershed restoration, green infrastructure) in achieving their national climate targets.
Water diplomacy and peace
The political track prominently featured a High-Level Panel on Hydro-diplomacy and Peace, underscoring the political commitment to use transboundary water cooperation as a tool for regional stability and conflict prevention, directly involving key officials and institutions dedicated to shared water resources. Water diplomacy is a critical framework that positions transboundary water resources not as sources of conflict, but as catalysts for regional cooperation and peace. The 10th World Water Forum in Bali strongly emphasised this concept, aiming to move from reactive crisis management to proactive conflict prevention through dialogue. This process involves utilising water as a “connector” to build trust between nations and sectors, which is essential for joint management of shared basins and aquifers. By fostering cooperation, water diplomacy directly addresses climate change impacts, as transboundary water stress is increasingly linked to geopolitical instability and migration.
For example, the Forum highlighted the importance of establishing and maintaining joint commissions and scientific data-sharing protocols in river basins to ensure equitable allocation and predictable flow management, especially during droughts. Furthermore, the high-level focus on this area committed to providing resources and training for specialized mediators and negotiators to resolve water-related disputes before they escalate. Ultimately, the successful implementation of water diplomacy, as promoted in Bali, is recognized as fundamental to achieving not only water security but also long-term regional economic prosperity and security.
Feedback on the implementation of the event
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Saudi Arabia
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