Water governance in a changing climate and hydrological cycle

Climate change is rewriting the global water cycle. Rainfall is shifting, droughts and floods are intensifying, soils are drying, glaciers are melting, and groundwater is under pressure. Water is becoming harder to predict — and much harder to manage.

This makes water governance one of the most decisive challenges of our time. Good governance helps societies adapt, protects ecosystems, strengthens economies, and reduces inequality. Weak governance leaves communities exposed and institutions overwhelmed.

This thematic area focuses on how the world can govern water wisely when the climate itself is changing.

Why this matters now

When the water cycle changes, everything else does too: food production, energy systems, cities, economies, ecosystems, and public health. Climate change has made risk the new normal — but governance determines whether that risk becomes crisis or resilience.

Stronger, climate-informed governance is essential to secure water for people and nature, reduce disaster impacts, and keep countries on a sustainable development path.

Where we drive change

1. Aligning climate action with how water really works

Climate impacts are largely felt through water—too much, too little, or too polluted—yet climate and water systems are still managed separately.

We help bridge that gap by:

integrating water into climate policy and planning
prioritizing water in climate finance
strengthening risk assessments
supporting coordination across sectors and regions
connecting science with decision-making

Aligning water and climate action helps protect lives, sustain development, and build long-term resilience.

Water governance in a changing climate and hydrological cycle_Aligning climate action with how water really works

2. Governing the whole hydrological cycle — from rivers to rainfall and soil moisture

Governing the whole hydrological cycle — from rivers to rainfall and soil moisture
Water governance still focuses on rivers, lakes, and aquifers. But climate change is reshaping green water—the soil moisture and rainfall that sustain forests, crops, and ecosystems.

Ignoring green water means overlooking the foundation of food security and resilience.

We help advance governance of the full hydrological cycle by: