Water
The world runs on water. Clean, reliable water supplies are vital for industry, agriculture, and energy production. Every community and ecosystem on Earth depends on water for sanitation, hygiene, and daily survival.
Yet the world’s water systems face formidable threats. More than a billion people currently live in water-scarce regions, and as many as 3.5 billion could experience water scarcity by 2025. Increasing pollution degrades freshwater and coastal aquatic ecosystems. And climate change is poised to shift precipitation patterns and speed glacial melt, altering water supplies and intensifying floods and drought.
WRI works with businesses, governments, and civil society to ensure a water-secure future. We seek to address both water quantity and quality challenges.
Our Aqueduct project uses the most up-to-date data to produce global water risk maps, allowing stakeholders to assess current and future challenges. We conduct economic and other analyses to identify the most cost-effective strategies to reduce water pollution. And we identify solutions—such as restoring ecosystem services—to alleviate stresses on the world’s water supplies.
Top Water Outcomes
What's a top outcome?
Top outcomes are WRI's biggest success stories. They occur when our analysis, solutions, or partnerships result in significant change in the world.
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2020
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2018
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2017
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2015
Featured Expert
Betsy Otto
Aqueduct
New in Water
All
Water Projects
Corporate Water Stewardship
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Corporate Water Stewardship
Advancing sustainable water management in the private sector by driving innovation in water-related data, tools and strategies.
Natural Infrastructure for Water
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Natural Infrastructure for Water
We empower governments, businesses, utilities, and communities to enhance water security by investing in “natural infrastructure,” like forests and wetlands, as part of a portfolio of smart solutions to growing water challenges.
Water Quality
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Water Quality Targeting
Providing guidance on how to better target agricultural conservation in the United States, to cost-effectively achieve measurable improvements in water quality.
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Water Quality Trading
Advancing voluntary and market-based solutions for improving water quality in a manner that maximizes economic efficiency and maintains environmental integrity.
Coastal Ecosystems
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Reefs at Risk
Raising awareness of threats to coral reefs and providing information and tools to manage coastal habitats more effectively.
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Coastal Capital: Economic Valuation of Coastal Ecosystems in the Caribbean
Supporting the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems by quantifying their economic value.
Urban Water Resilience in Africa
Experts
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Betsy Otto
Global Director, Water -
Craig Hanson
Vice President for Food, Forest, Water & the Ocean -
Helen Ding
Environmental Economist -
Charles Iceland
Director, Global and National Water Initiatives -
Suzanne Ozment
Senior Associate, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
Todd Gartner
Director, Cities4Forests and Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Sara Walker
Senior Manager, Water Quality and Agriculture -
Eliza L. Swedenborg
Manager, Strategy and Performance, Water Program -
Tianyi Luo
Acting Director, Aqueduct Project -
Samantha Kuzma
Associate, Water Program -
Juan-Carlos Altamirano
Economist -
Colin Strong
Research Associate, Corporate Water Stewardship -
Zablon Adane
Associate -
James Anderson
Associate II, Natural Infrastructure -
Beth Bahs-Ahern
Senior Operations Manager -
Francesca Battistelli
Associate, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
Lisa Beyer
Urban Water Infrastructure Manager -
Caroline Black
Program Coordinator, Water Program -
Marlena Chertock
Communications Specialist, Water Program -
Se Jong Cho
Postdoctoral Research Fellow -
Sod-Erdene Davaadorj
Grants & Finance Specialist II, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Noah Dewar
Schneider Summer Fellow, Aqueduct -
Craig Gilliam
Intern, Water Program -
Maggie Gonzalez
Research Analyst II -
Erin Gray
Associate III -
Meredith Hess
Grants and Finance Specialist II, Water Program -
Lizzie Marsters
Environmental Finance Manager, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Emmie Oliver
Analyst, Natural Infrastructure for Water -
John-Rob Pool
Implementation Manager, Cities4Forests, Natural Infrastructure Initiative -
Sarah Stettner
Executive Assistant, Food, Forests, Water and Ocean Programs -
Muluneh Tarekegn
Outreach Specialist, Water Program, WRI Africa -
Tinebeb Yohannes
Research Analyst, Water Program