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SIWI works to strengthen water governance as the climate and hydrological cycle change. Our priorities are to integrate water into climate decisions and advance governance of the full water cycle, including the moisture held in soils and its movement through vegetation and the atmosphere. We help connect scientific understanding with policy and planning, so decisions better reflect how water moves through landscapes and sustains people and ecosystems.
Learn about water governance and how it works in practice
Why these priorities matter now
Water scarcity and changes in the water cycle put development and climate goals at risk. Yet decisions about water often remain separate from policies shaping land use and energy production. This makes it harder to identify consequences elsewhere or resolve competing demands.
SIWI works to connect these decisions. We promote approaches that account for water in climate action and recognize how soil moisture and ecosystems influence water availability. This helps bring the full hydrological cycle into policies that have traditionally focused on rivers and groundwater.
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.
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:
- elevating soil moisture, vegetation, and landscapes in decision-making
- linking forests, agriculture, climate, and water policy
- connecting hydrology to national planning
- promoting landscape-based approaches to resilience
Governing all water—not just what we can see—is essential for climate-resilient societies.
