However, with water demand increasing due to a rapidly growing global population paired with the deleterious effects of climate change, billions of people will not have access to these basic services in 2030. BestCities Global Alliance is working to address water scarcity through business events and initiatives promoting the health and wellbeing of people everywhere.
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Water: a basic human right
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 is centred on a basic human right – access to water, sanitation and hygiene. Concerningly, none of the SDG 6 targets are on track. In 2022, 2.2 billion people still lacked safely managed drinking water, and 3.5 billion people lacked safely managed sanitation. Without better management, millions of people will continue to die every year from water-related diseases like malaria and diarrhea, and there will be further losses in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
Managing the global water supply has ripple effects that can dramatically improve other areas of people’s lives. Better management of water leads to more control over food and energy production, which in turn contributes to jobs and economic growth. And, by preserving water ecosystems, we can support biodiversity and combat climate change.
Business events are in a powerful position to drive solutions to the global water crisis by facilitating knowledge sharing and innovation in water management. Movements like World Water Day (March 22) call attention to water- and sanitation-related issues while promoting conferences and initiatives that are taking action to keep governments accountable, invest in research and development, and promote more inclusion in water resources governance.
Championing clean water access through business events
Many of BestCities Global Alliance’s 13 partner destinations are leveraging their hosting of international meetings to inspire ideas and action tackling the global water crisis.
One example is the 2023 Badminton World Championships, which was hosted in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Danish Industries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and State of Green hosted a delegation of representatives from several Asian countries facing water pollution challenges due to industrial growth, population increase and climate change. During the workshop, the idea to develop a trade organisation between Asia and Denmark arose as Danish green water technologies could help with water issues in Asia. This lead to visits to Danish water suppliers and companies throughout the week and resulted in a VIP event that coincided with the Badminton World Cup Championship quarterfinals.
In October 2024, Madrid, Spain hosted Diálogos del Agua (Water Dialogues), which discusses the challenges of water resilience in urban systems. By zeroing in on specific topics – circular economy for sustainable cities, nature-based solutions for greener cities, and automation and innovation in water and sanitation services – the organizers of this year’s event sought to promote effective actions contributing to water resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as Spain.
A direct result from the conference was the creation of the new Madrid Nuevo Norte neighbourhood, which employs the principles of a low-carbon circular economy and the reuse of construction materials. Pioneering measures will allow for responsible water management and consumption, and water will also be given value in the design and landscaping of urban space and green areas. Thanks to the project, facilities that supply 80 percent of Madrid’s drinking water will be renovated and updated.
Another example is the annual Singapore International Water Week (SIWW), which focuses on water policy, technology and innovation. The event convenes stakeholders to co-create water solutions, making it a key contributor to SDG Goal 6.
In 2025, SIWW will host a Spotlight event (23-24 June, 2025) with the theme “Flood Resilient Cities: Adapting to Climate Change”, which focuses on the ways cities can adapt and build greater resilience to floods and other extreme weather events. The spotlight will be co-located with the 41st International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research World Congress, with joint sessions organised between the two events.
The Incredible Impacts of global water ambassadors
Each year, the Incredible Impacts Programme, a joint initiative between BestCities Global Alliance and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) recognizes international association meetings that advocate for positive social change.
In 2022, the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) was honoured for its World Water Envoys Programme, which paid for five global ambassadors from communities like Zimbabwe and New Delhi to attend the World Water Congress and address pressing water security issues.
Following the conference, the envoys applied learnings directly to their communities, contributing to visible and immediate impacts – for example, new drinking water pipelines in the Manohara region of Nepal, and education for Palestinian farmers proposing alternatives to pesticides and fertilizers.
Click here to download the case study of this award-winning congress.
Water for everyone: a mission for international meetings
International meetings can be powerful platforms to advance global change. Through its events and initiatives, BestCities Global Alliance helps to support SDG Goal 6 by advocating for and elevating associations and individuals involved in water sustainability and sanitation solutions. Planners can support SDG Goal 6 by incorporating water management, sustainability and advocacy into their own events.
Related Posts:
Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Championing Gender Equality through Business Events: BestCities’ Approach to UN SDG Goal 5