United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health

United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health We are the United Nations Think Tank on Water. www.inweh.unu.edu

We tackle the global water, environmental and health challenges through targeted research, capacity development, and public outreach. The world is in the midst of a global water crisis – where lack of adequate freshwater supplies and poor management threaten the health of both humans and ecosystems. This crisis directly blocks efforts to alleviate poverty and to meet the Millennium Development Goa

ls. Each year, two million people are killed due to diseases caused by poor water quality and inadequate sanitation, and the health of millions more is harmed. Coastal oceans provide some 20% of the animal protein in the human diet, but are in a perilous state due to climate change and local degradation. These water problems will continue growing as world population climbs and climate change alters global water distribution patterns. A critical factor contributing to the water crisis is the lack of indigenous capacity – educational, managerial, technological and institutional – for effective water management in many developing countries. Despite some progress, many barriers remain, including the fragmented, intermittent, donor-driven, project-based approach that has been found to be ineffective, and even damaging. UNU-INWEH contributes to the resolution of this global challenge through a unique programme of applied research and education. It conceives, develops and manages water initiatives that help developing countries build their capacity for lasting improvements in human and ecosystem health, and overall reduction in poverty. Our two programmes consist of:

1) Water & Human Development Programme

2) Water & Ecosystems Programme

🌏 The full environmental cost of AI goes beyond carbon emissions – and the numbers are significant.UNU-INWEH‘s new repor...
06/03/2026

🌏 The full environmental cost of AI goes beyond carbon emissions – and the numbers are significant.

UNU-INWEH‘s new report, Environmental Cost of AI’s Energy Use: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, reveals that by 2030, the electricity powering global data centres could nearly double 2025 usage, while the water footprint in 2030 would be enough to provide all 1.3 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa with residential water for an entire year. The land footprint is nearly 10 times the size of Mexico City and the carbon footprint of this much electricity would require 6.7 billion trees to offset – twice the number of trees in the entire United Kingdom.

Carbon, water, and land footprints sometimes move in opposite directions, meaning lower-carbon emissions don't automatically mean a lower water or land impact.

However, It is not only about the environmental cost, but about the question who bears it. In Ireland, data centers accounted for 21% of the country’s total metered electricity in 2023, while AI infrastructure in other countries is drawing on precious water resources among ongoing droughts.

Scroll through to hear from UNU-INWEH scientists and the rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, on why there is a need for responsible AI use and why its unintended impacts must be addressed to make the world more sustainable and equitable.

The report sets out a clear framework: transparency, efficiency, and environmental justice, across governments, industry, investors and communities alike. Carbon metrics alone aren't enough.

📖 Read the full open-access report here: https://go.unu.edu/6bRME

06/02/2026

🎨 UNU-INWEH marked its 30th anniversary with the inauguration of The Grace of a Knight, a two-day public art exhibition by Canadian artist Babak Yaghooti, held at Arta Gallery in Toronto’s Distillery District on 15–16 May 2026.

Through art, the exhibition brought attention to the lived experiences of women in relation to water, sanitation and hygiene, health, dignity, and environmental challenges. While UNU-INWEH’s work is grounded in science and evidence, art offers a unique way to connect research with people. By translating complex global challenges into personal and emotional experiences, it helps foster dialogue, build understanding, and inspire action beyond traditional policy and academic spaces.

Opening remarks were delivered by Alexandra Bugailiskis, Chair of UNU-INWEH’s International Advisory Committee, with remarks also shared by:

- The Honourable Ali Ehsassi, Member of Parliament, Willowdale
- Stephanie Smyth, MPP, Toronto – St. Paul’s
- Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH
- Babak Yaghooti, Artist, The Grace of a Knight
- Prof. Grace Oluwasanya. Senior Researcher: Water, Climate and Gender, UNU-INWEH

The event created space for meaningful dialogue on gender, WASH, health, and the environment, while reflecting on 30 years of UNU-INWEH’s work to advance science, policy, and capacity development.

Thank you to everyone for making both days of the exhibition a huge success!

🎙️ Science Talk | 03 June 2026, 10:00–11:00 (EST)Join us for the upcoming UNU-INWEH Science Talk with Professor Sera L. ...
06/02/2026

🎙️ Science Talk | 03 June 2026, 10:00–11:00 (EST)

Join us for the upcoming UNU-INWEH Science Talk with Professor Sera L. Young, who will present a new way to understand and measure water security through lived experiences.

Introducing the Water InSecurity Experiences (WISE) Scales, the first globally comparable tool for measuring water insecurity, now used in over 90 countries. The talk will explore how these scales reveal hidden challenges in water access and use, helping to estimate prevalence, inform policy, and guide effective interventions.

Drawing on global evidence, Professor Young will also examine how water insecurity intersects with nutrition, mental health, and physical well-being, and what this means in a changing climate.

✍️ Register for free: https://go.unu.edu/bOvOM

06/01/2026

🎉 Celebrating 30 Years of Impact.

On the sidelines of the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018–2028), UNU-INWEH marked its 30th anniversary with a special reception in Dushanbe, together with the members and supporters of the Women in Water Diplomacy Network.

The event provided an opportunity to reflect on three decades of advancing science-based policymaking, while reaffirming our shared commitment to international cooperation and inclusive solutions to growing water challenges.

We were honoured by the presence of Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and United Nations Under-Secretary-General and his kind keynote remarks.

Remarks were also delivered by:
• Ms. Zulfiya Abdusamatzoda, Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Tajikistan
• Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and 2026 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate
• Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)
• Dr. Annukka Lipponen, Chief Specialist, Water Resources Management, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
• Members of the Women in Water Diplomacy Network
• Ambassador Salome Steib, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe

The reception also recognized participants of the Regional Workshop on Transboundary Water Cooperation organized in partnership with the OSCE, with certificates presented by UNU and OSCE leadership.

We congratulate all participants on successfully completing the workshop and presenting their policy recommendations during the Conference in Dushanbe.

We were also pleased to welcome Hon. Jumaa Hamidu Aweso, Minister for Water of the United Republic of Tanzania, to the celebration.

As UNU-INWEH celebrates its 30th anniversary, we look forward to continuing our work with partners around the world to advance inclusive water governance.

05/31/2026

The report finds that rising demand for minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy and digital infrastructure is driving significant water use, pollution and health risks — with impacts falling disproportionately on vulnerable communities. In 2024, global lithium production consumed an e...

05/25/2026

Critical minerals power our phones, electric vehicles, renewable energy and even AI – but their extraction is drying up rivers, polluting water, and deepening inequalities in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

Our recent report, “Critical Minerals, Water Insecurity and Injustice,” shows how the global rush for these “oil of the 21st century” is driving water insecurity, health risks and livelihood losses in communities that often see few benefits from the green and digital transitions. Women and children bear a disproportionate share of the burden, facing contaminated water, heightened health risks and profound psychological stress.

Watch the full video to find out why we all have a stake in how critical minerals are sourced, and why immediate action is needed to ensure just, water-secure supply chains.

🔗 Explore our key findings: https://go.unu.edu/2aIz6

🌍 Ensuring Resilient Food Systems in the Era of Global Water Bankruptcy. As part of the 4th High-Level International Con...
05/24/2026

🌍 Ensuring Resilient Food Systems in the Era of Global Water Bankruptcy.

As part of the 4th High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” 2018–2028, UNU-INWEH is pleased to co-organize a high-level forum exploring the critical links between water security, food systems resilience, rural livelihoods, and economic stability.

The forum will bring together high-level government representatives, UN leaders, researchers, diplomats, and development partners to discuss the growing risks of global water stress and its implications for agriculture and food security. Discussions will focus on governance, innovation, financing, international cooperation, and inclusive approaches to building water-smart food systems.

We are honoured to welcome Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General, as Honorary Guest and keynote speaker.

📍 International University of Tourism and Entrepreneurship of Tajikistan (IUTET), Dushanbe
📅 25 May 2026
🕑 14:00 – 17:00

UNU-INWEH, in partnership with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Regional Environmenta...
05/24/2026

UNU-INWEH, in partnership with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), convened a workshop in Dushanbe on “Promoting Collaboration over Shared Waters: Concepts and Approaches for Building Trust and Co-operation.”

The workshop was opened by Denise Lüthi Crisan, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan, and Dilovarsho Dustzoda, Advisor to Executive Director, CAREC. The co-facilitators were Letizia Zuliani, Assistant Project Officer at OSCE, and Jenni Laakso, Mediation Support Team, OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre.

Sogol Jafarzadeh, UN and Government Relations Coordinator at UNU-INWEH, delivered a presentation on global water policy processes, including the 4th Dushanbe Water Conference and the 2026 UN Water Conference, and highlighted how this workshop contributes to advancing these important international processes.

Prof. David Feldman, Adjunct Professor of Transboundary Water Cooperation and Policy at UNU-INWEH, delivered a lecture on confidence-building in water negotiations, drawing on examples from the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Over the next three days, participants from the Women in Water Management Network in Central Asia and young professionals from the region will explore how scientific information can be integrated into water-related negotiation processes to strengthen cooperation and build trust. Participants will also formulate joint recommendations to inform the interactive sessions and thematic dialogues of the upcoming Dushanbe Water Conference.

International Day for Biological Diversity reminds us that protecting ecosystems also means protecting the water systems...
05/23/2026

International Day for Biological Diversity reminds us that protecting ecosystems also means protecting the water systems that sustain them.

UNU-INWEH’s Global Water Bankruptcy report underscores that water systems in many regions are no longer simply under stress or under crisis, but they are reaching a post-crisis condition where natural water capital is being lost faster than it can recover – Water Bankruptcy.

Healthy water systems are essential for healthy biodiversity, with aquifers, wetlands, rivers, soils, and glaciers all playing a vital role in supporting ecosystems and communities.

This year’s theme, “Acting locally for global impact,” is a timely reminder that local water stewardship, ecosystem protection, and inclusive governance can generate benefits far beyond one place. Because when we protect water, we protect life.

With an introduction by Prof. Yasushi Katsuma from UNU-IAS, Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and 2026 Stockholm...
05/22/2026

With an introduction by Prof. Yasushi Katsuma from UNU-IAS, Prof. Kaveh Madani, Director of UNU-INWEH and 2026 Stockholm Water Prize laureate, delivered a special lecture at Waseda University on one of the defining issues of our time: Water Bankruptcy.

Water Bankruptcy describes a situation in which water systems – such as aquifers, wetlands, soils, rivers, and glaciers – are under such sustained stress from overuse, drought, and pollution that they can no longer recover naturally. In his lecture, Prof. Madani highlighted the urgent links between water, environment, health, global security, and development.

Thank you to Waseda University for hosting this important conversation, and to everyone who joined us in Tokyo.

📖 Read the full report: https://go.unu.edu/mBbUS

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