As the demand for water grows, ensuring the responsible management of transboundary waters – those that cross borders and are shared by multiple countries – is more crucial than ever. Using real-time monitoring and reporting decision support systems, we help nations achieve integrated management of flood and drought, water availability and quality issues, and protection of biodiversity and freshwater ecosystems across boundaries.

The issue

The world's water consumption rate is doubling every 20 years — twice as fast as the rate of population growth. By 2030, water demand will exceed supply by 40%. The growing global population poses challenges to the sustainability of current methods for sharing and managing water resources, especially in developing countries. In addition, most countries lack effective transboundary cooperation, with few having all of their transboundary basin areas covered by operational arrangements.

Why it matters

While there is theoretically enough fresh water on the planet to sustain the needs of its population, the uneven distribution means that while some parts of the planet have more than enough water, scarcity occurs elsewhere. Additionally, actions taken in one country can have significant effects on others. Overexploitation and pollution in bodies of water can harm the ecosystem services of neighbouring countries. Similarly, a unilateral decision by one country to construct a dam could greatly impact the downstream flow of a river in another. As such, governments must cooperate on transboundary water resources management.