A Milestone: The G7 Water Coalition

G7 Ministers reaffirm commitment to combat climate, pollution, and biodiversity crises by forming the "G7 Water Coalition".

Water diplomacy

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Manuel Eckert

Programme Officer, International Policy,

Swedish Water House

During the G7 meeting in Torino on 29-30 April, ministers recommitted to addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. This involves aligning countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), adopting circular economy strategies, and preserving natural resources.

Recognizing water’s pivotal role across these agendas, ministers established the “G7 Water Coalition.” This collaboration underscores water’s importance in sustainable development, prosperity, and peace. Building on the UN 2023 Water Conference and anticipating the One Water Summit, the coalition signifies high-level political priority for global water issues.

The coalition aims to align ambitions, maximize cooperation, and generate political momentum for water initiatives worldwide. After mainstreaming water across sectors and promoting best practices for SDG6, the coalition will report back in 2025, preceding NDC reviews and the 2026 UN Conference on Water. While specifics on addressing challenges remain unclear, the G7 Water Coalition presents an exciting opportunity to strengthen existing water actions while fostering new collective efforts.