Photo credit: ITAIPU Binacional
Publications
NETWORK PUBLICATIONS
2023 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS NETWORK
The 2023 Annual report of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network details the milestones and key activities from the year, including capacity-building events and advocacy and outreach world meetings in which members had the opportunity to share best practices and innovative approaches surrounding their water-energy nexus activities. It also highlights plans for 2024.
The Network expanded its membership to 30 institutions, as well as grew its body of resources on the Knowledge Management Platform with new reports and case studies. In 2023 The Natural Resource Forum: A United Nations Sustainable Development Journal published a Special Issue on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions, featuring several articles from Network Members.
Special Issue on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions by Natural Resources Forum (NRF) - a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, November 2023
In November 2023 the Natural Resources Forum (NRF), a United Nations Sustainable Development Journal, published for the first time a Special Issue on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions.
This Special Issue includes contributions to the global debate on the water–energy nexus, examples of the nexus approach in practice in different parts of the world, analysis of diverse issues related to integrated approaches to water and energy solutions, and their interlinkages with the SDGs. This edition aims to promote an understanding of the relationship between technology and policy and enhance global awareness of ongoing integrated efforts on water–energy.
An integrated approach to resolving water and energy challenges allows the realization of important synergies, avoiding negative tradeoffs that result when they are managed independently. In relation, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the vital role that improved access to both water and energy plays in advancing progress in other critical areas, such as the Global Goals on health, food, poverty eradication, economic productivity, terrestrial ecosystems, and climate change.
The Special Issue includes a selection of scholarly articles authored by members of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network. It is available on the Wiley Online Library here and the PDF table of contents here.
17 CASE STUDIES BY ASAZGUA DETAILING ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTING TO THE 17 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, MARCH 2023
The Association of Sugar Producers of Guatemala published 17 cases studies describing in detail its sustainable strategies and integrated activities addressing each of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Guatemala Sugar Agroindustry also generates renewable electricity using sugarcane bagasse and ethanol. The Case Studies provide information about the objectives, challenges, lessons learned, and results of the most important activities and initiatives being conducted in the field supporting each of the SDGs. The descriptions identify the specific targets of the SDGs that these activities are supporting.
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2022 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS NETWORK
The 2022 Annual report of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network reviews the milestones and key activities from a busy year for the network. Including capacity-building events, advocacy and outreach, and members sharing best practices. The network convened at Expo 2020 in Dubai, hosted its First Global Symposium on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions, and put together side events at HLPF and COP27, among several others. It also expanded its Knowledge Management Platform with additional relevant data, reports and case studies. The report also highlights plans for 2023.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GLOBAL SUSTAINABLE WATER AND ENERGY SOLUTIONS NETWORK
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and ITAIPU Binacional joined efforts in 2018, creating a partnership entitled “Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions” that recognized the need to address the interlinkages between water and energy and their contributions to the advancement of other SDGs. The initiative resulted in the creation of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network with a growing number of multi-stakeholders from all regions and constituencies.
Report on Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions addressing Climate Change
This report seeks to inform the ongoing expert and public policy debate on sustainable water and energy
solutions addressing climate change with a view to facilitate information exchange, enhance local,
national and international cooperation, and stimulate collaborative development actions that “leave no
one behind” in terms of water supply and sanitation, access to sustainable energy, and protection from
potential negative impacts of climate change. The Report includes descriptions of selected technological
areas and innovative systems that represent sustainable water and energy solutions addressing climate
change. This report is an output of the global multi-stakeholder “Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions
Network” launched jointly by UN DESA and Itaipu Binacional in 2018 to enhance capacities and cooperation
and to enable an integrated approach to the Sustainable Development Goals on water (SDG 6) and energy
(SDG 7) and the interlinkages with other SDGs, particularly SDG 13 on climate change.
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Report
Activities by the Guatemala Sugar Agroindustry supporting the Sustainable Development Goals 13 (SDG 13) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The interconnection between climate change, energy, water and the reuse of waste is evident for the
Guatemala Sugar Agroindustry. Guatemala is the fourth largest producer in Latin America and the sixth
largest exporter of sugar in the world1. Sugar is the fourth most exported product in Guatemala. This
case study highlights the sustainable development strategy of the Guatemala Sugar Agroindustry and its
comprehensive program of activities related to climate change, coupled with the generation of
electricity from biomass, optimum integrated management of water resources, and protection of
terrestrial and water ecosystems, represent an excellent example of the implementation in the field of
the SDG13 on climate change and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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the Full Case Study
2020 Annual Report of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network
The importance of energy and water and their strong interdependence have become more evident during the
COVID-19 world crisis of 2020. In light of the terrible consequences resulting from the COVID-19
pandemic, sustainable water, and energy solutions are viewed as a necessary response during this world
health crisis and beyond. This report highlights the commitment of the Sustainable Water and Energy
Solutions Network’s vision working towards a world where there is equitable and sustainable use and
management of water and energy resources for all, in support of human well-being, ecosystem integrity,
and a robust, inclusive economy under the umbrella of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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the 2020 Annual Report of the Global Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network
Itaipu’s 17 Case Studies Responding to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, December 2019
Itaipu Binacional, the largest generator of hydropower in the world, has published 17 cases studies describing in detail its sustainable strategies and integrated activities addressing each of the Sustainable Development Goals. The Case Studies provide information about the objectives, challenges, lessons learned, and results of the most important activities and initiatives being conducted in the field supporting each of the SDGs. The descriptions identify the specific targets of the SDGs that these activities are supporting.
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2020 Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions: Addressing Critical Services During the COVID-19 World Crisis and Beyond: Scoping Paper
The Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network is developing a Global Knowledge Platform with a view to collect information on activities, case studies and systems being implemented or planned using an integrated approach to water and energy challenges. The main objective of this scoping paper is to provide preliminary recommendations for the possible scope, priority content, structure and operational mechanisms of the envisioned Global Knowledge Platform.
2019 Annual Report of the Global Water and Energy Solutions Network
The Sustainable Water and Energy Solutions Network works toward the vision of a world where there is an equitable and sustainable use and management of water and energy resources for all, in support of human well-being, ecosystem integrity and a robust, inclusive economy, under the umbrella of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
FEATURED PUBLICATIONS
Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2022 provides a global overview of progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, using the latest available data and estimates. It tracks the global and regional progress towards the 17 Goals with in-depth analyses of selected indicators for each Goal.
UN World Water Development Report 2022
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2022 describes the challenges and opportunities associated with the development, management and governance of groundwater across the world. It aims to establish a clear understanding of the role that groundwater plays in daily life, of its interactions with people, and of the opportunities for optimizing its use in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of this largely available yet fragile resource.
UN World Water Development Report 2021
The United Nations World Water Development Report 2021 addresses the question of the value of water. Despite the difficulty of attributing an objective and indisputable value to a resource which is fundamental to life, it seems necessary to examine water’s various dimensions in order to understand the various aspects of its “value”. This is especially true in times of growing scarcity and against the backdrop of population growth and climate change.
SDG7 Policy Briefs – 2022
The SDG7 Policy Briefs are released annually in support of the deliberations at the High-level Political
Forum.
In 2022, the advisory group specifically examined the data available and potential indicators to measure
the role that energy plays in education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5) and sustainable land use (SDG
15), among the goals that were under in-depth consideration by the 2022 High-level Political Forum on
Sustainable Development.
SDG7 Policy Briefs – 2021
The Policy Briefs 2021 place a special focus on the interlinkages of SDG7 with all other SDGs, highlighting that decisive action on sustainable energy can catalyse progress towards all the other SDGs, as well as towards global climate protection targets.
2022 Tracking SDG 7 Report
The Energy Progress Report assesses achievements in the global quest for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. At today’s rate of progress, the world is still not on track to achieve the SDG 7 goals by 2030. Advances have been impeded, particularly in the most vulnerable countries and those that were already lagging.
The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020
Convened by UN DESA, the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020 seeks to provide an overview of SDG implementation and efforts. The report focuses and brings together areas of progress and areas where action is still needed, to ensure that no one is left behind and highlights key areas and initial impacts in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Accelerating SDG7 Achievement in the Time of COVID-19, 2020
The Multi-Stakeholder Technical Advisory Group on SDG 7, convened by the UN DESA, has released a series of policy briefs that call for accelerated action and more investment to achieve global energy targets. The COVID-19 pandemic repreents the biggest shock to the global energy system in decades, which has caused tremendous uncertaintly in out collective efforts towards SDG 7 achievements.
UNESCO World Water Development Report 2020 – Water and Climate Change
The World Water Development Report 2020 aims to tackle the challenges of climate change and informing the public about opportunities of improves water management in terms of adaptation and mitigation. The report addresses challenges, opportunities and potential responses to climate change in adaptation, mitigation and improved resilience through improved water management.
2020 SDG7 Energy Progress Report
Published annually, the "Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report" provides the most comprehensive look available at the world's progress towards global energy targets on access to electricity, clean cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Prepared by the custodian agencies for the SDG 7 indicators - the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the UN Statistics Division (UNSD) at UN DESA, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO) – this year’s report gives the international community the latest global dashboard to register progress on the SDG7 targets.
Towards Sustainable Renewable Energy Investment and Deployment: Trade-offs and Opportunities with Water Resources and the Environment, 2020
As part of a series of the intersectional “nexus” assessments under the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes illustrates this potential for sustainable, more coherent development, this publication is set to support renewable energy policy-makers in identifying and addressing synegries and trade-offs by providing guidance through parraell “tacks” on renewable energy development process: strategic planning (long term); policy design and adoption (medium term); and project development (immediate, short term).
Issues Monitor 2020: Decoding New Signals of Change
The annual World Energy Issues Monitor provides unique insight into what energy policymakers, CEOs and leading experts identify as Critical Uncertainties and Action Priorities. New this year, the Issues Monitor also provides readers with the views of the individual customer, detailing their perceptions of their role in the overall energy system. The Issues Monitor report includes a global issues map, 58 country maps, and six regional maps, as well as perspectives from Future Energy Leaders (FEL) and energy innovators. The Issues Monitor and maps offer a range of opportunities for strategic conversations leading to a better understanding of the progression of the energy transition