Putting water at the heart of corporate climate action – Sustainable Views

Report on Water Scarcity as a Critical Challenge for the Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

Water scarcity has escalated from a localized environmental issue to a systemic global challenge, posing a significant threat to economic stability, social well-being, and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With projections indicating a €65 billion annual economic impact from drought in Europe by 2100 and 75% of the global population residing in countries losing fresh water by 2025, urgent action is required. This report outlines the critical need for water management to be central to climate policy discussions at COP30, emphasizing the interconnectedness between water security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights the indispensable role of corporate action and multi-stakeholder collaboration in building a water-resilient future.

The Intersection of Water Scarcity and Global Sustainability Goals

Impact on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 13 (Climate Action)

The intensifying climate crisis directly undermines SDG 6 by exacerbating water stress, disrupting the water cycle, and threatening the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. The European Commission’s Water Resilience Strategy, which calls for a 10% improvement in water efficiency by 2030, represents a crucial step towards achieving SDG Target 6.4. However, for COP30 to effectively advance SDG 13, it must integrate water resilience as a core component of global climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, recognizing that climate action and water security are inextricably linked.

Threats to Economic Stability (SDG 8) and Terrestrial Ecosystems (SDG 15)

Water scarcity poses a direct risk to economic stability and sustainable growth, as outlined in SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). All industries depend on secure water supplies, and failure to manage this resource threatens agricultural output, infrastructure, and global health. Furthermore, depleting water reserves and ecosystem degradation are a direct assault on SDG 15 (Life on Land). The rapid loss of water surface in Brazil, the host of COP30, underscores the urgent need for a nature-positive approach that moves beyond harm reduction to actively restoring water-related ecosystems, a key target of SDG 15.

Corporate Responsibility in Advancing Water Stewardship

The Role of Business in Achieving SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

While governmental policies and NGO targets are important, the private sector is a critical agent of change for achieving SDG 12. Businesses possess the operational capacity to transform water management practices through investment, innovation, and supply chain management. Corporate leadership is essential to drive the large-scale improvements in water efficiency and stewardship needed to meet global sustainability targets.

Case Study: Suntory’s Strategy for Water Sustainability

Suntory Beverage & Food Europe provides a model for corporate action aligned with multiple SDGs. The company’s initiatives demonstrate a comprehensive approach to water stewardship:

• Water Intensity Reduction (SDG 12): A commitment to reduce water intensity in its factories by 20% by 2030 against a 2015 baseline, with a 16% reduction already achieved.
• Ecosystem Restoration (SDG 6, SDG 15): Investment in nature-based solutions that extend beyond factory operations. Key projects include:
  • The Guardianes del Tajo project in Spain, which restores forests to recharge groundwater and protect biodiversity.
  • A 20-year partnership in France to preserve alluvial ecosystems along the Rhône river.
  • Collaboration with Natuurpunt in Belgium to restore the water cycle in wetlands and peatlands.
• Sustainable Agriculture (SDG 2, SDG 15): Piloting regenerative agricultural practices for key ingredients to improve soil structure, enhance water retention, and build climate resilience.

Strategic Recommendations for COP30 Aligned with the 2030 Agenda

To ensure COP30 yields meaningful outcomes, it must establish a clear framework for action on water that accelerates progress on the SDGs. The following recommendations are proposed:

1. Foster Global Collaboration (SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals)

Success depends on robust partnerships between governments, businesses, NGOs, and local communities. COP30 must create conditions that support and scale global cooperation. Partnering with organizations like the Alliance for Water Stewardship exemplifies the multi-stakeholder approach required by SDG 17 to implement tangible, localized water stewardship actions.

2. Advance Education and Skills (SDG 4: Quality Education)

Building long-term water resilience requires a foundation of public awareness and specialized skills. This aligns with SDG Target 4.7, which calls for education for sustainable development.

• Promote Water Literacy: Global water education programs, such as Suntory’s “Mizuiku,” are essential for instilling conservation values and skills in the next generation.
• Close the Green Skills Gap: A dedicated plan is needed to develop academic pathways and targeted training in water management, ensuring a skilled workforce capable of implementing sustainable solutions.

3. Establish a Framework for Measurable Commitments

COP30 must move beyond discussion to secure practical commitments with clear targets, timelines, and support mechanisms. Key actions should include:

1. Strengthen Water Monitoring: Mandate the strengthening of water use monitoring with open data and advisory services to help industries improve efficiency, directly supporting the monitoring frameworks of SDG 6.
2. Adopt Sectoral Efficiency Targets: Establish evidence-based water efficiency targets for key industries to drive progress towards SDG 12.
3. Reform Regulations for Water Reuse: Enact policy reforms that enable the safe, large-scale reuse of industrial water, contributing to water circularity and SDG Target 6.3.
4. Ensure Accountability: All commitments must include measurable targets and timelines to ensure transparent, accountable action that moves water management from the margins to the core of global climate policy.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: This is the central theme of the article, which focuses on water scarcity, water efficiency, water management, and the protection of water-related ecosystems.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: The article explicitly links water scarcity to climate change, describing it as a “quiet casualty of the climate debate” and calls for water to be a core part of discussions at COP30.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article highlights the role of businesses in sustainable water management, detailing Suntory’s efforts to reduce water intensity in its production processes and supply chain.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The article discusses projects aimed at restoring terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, such as forests, wetlands, and peatlands, to improve groundwater recharge and protect biodiversity.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The text emphasizes the critical need for collaboration between governments, businesses, NGOs, and local communities to address the water crisis effectively, citing several existing partnerships as examples.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The article directly mentions the European Commission’s call for “at least a 10 per cent improvement in water efficiency by 2030” and Suntory’s corporate target to “reduce water intensity at our owned factories by 20 per cent by 2030.”
2. Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels. The article advocates for this through its call for “collaborative problem solving on water stewardship” involving governments, businesses, and NGOs.
3. Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes. The article provides concrete examples of this through projects like “Guardianes del Tajo in Toledo, Spain,” which involves “restoring forests and ecosystems to recharge groundwater,” and partnerships to restore “wetlands and peatlands” in Belgium.
4. Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. The article discusses strengthening resilience to climate change through ecosystem restoration and better water management to combat droughts.
5. Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The article highlights Suntory’s global water education program, “Mizuiku,” which aims to promote “water literacy and practical conservation skills to the next generation.” It also calls for an EU plan to “close the green skills gap through… targeted water management training.”
6. Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. The article details how Suntory is working towards this by reducing water use in its factories and piloting “regenerative practices for blackcurrants, oranges and sugar beet using techniques that rebuild soil structure, improve water retention and boost resilience.”
7. Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. The article’s description of projects to restore forests in Spain and wetlands in Belgium directly aligns with this target.
8. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article underscores this by stating, “Collaboration is also key to success,” and lists partnerships with organizations like “Grand Parc Miribel Jonage,” “Natuurpunt,” and the “Alliance for Water Stewardship.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Indicator for Target 6.4 (Water-use efficiency): The article provides specific quantitative data that can be used as indicators. These include the EU’s target of a “10 per cent improvement in water efficiency by 2030” and Suntory’s progress, having “already delivered a 16 per cent reduction” towards its 20 per cent reduction goal.
2. Indicator for Target 6.4 (Water stress): The article implies the level of water stress by citing data that “75 per cent of the world’s population lives in countries that are losing fresh water” and that Brazil lost “about 400,000 hectares of water surface” from 2023-24.
3. Indicator for Target 6.6 (Ecosystem restoration): Progress can be measured by the scale and impact of the restoration projects mentioned, such as the area of forests, wetlands, and peatlands being restored in Spain and Belgium.
4. Indicator for Target 13.3 (Education and training): The reach and impact of the “Mizuiku” education program serve as a qualitative indicator. A more quantitative measure would be the number of students or communities engaged. The call for an “EU plan to close the green skills gap” implies a need to track the number of individuals receiving “targeted water management training.”
5. Indicator for Target 12.2 (Resource efficiency): The reduction in water intensity at Suntory’s factories (“16 per cent reduction”) is a direct indicator of more efficient use of a natural resource in production.
6. Indicator for Target 17.17 (Partnerships): The number and scope of partnerships mentioned (e.g., with NGOs, park authorities, and global alliances) serve as a qualitative indicator of multi-stakeholder collaboration. The financial commitment of “nearly €5mn more committed for 2026 to 2030” for water projects is a quantitative indicator of resources mobilized through these partnerships.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: sustainableviews.com