Freshwater Challenge

About the Challenge

The Freshwater Challenge (FWC) is a country-led initiative that aims to support, integrate and accelerate the restoration of 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands by 2030, as well as conserve intact freshwater ecosystems. 45 countries and the European Union have joined the Freshwater Challenge so far.

The Challenge aims to substantiate, integrate and accelerate targeted interventions for rivers and wetlands, connecting these with national plans and strategies. It will increase the overall investment into the restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems and substantially increase the social and economic returns on those investments.

By doing so, the FWC will support countries to reach their international commitments on climate, biodiversity, restoration, land degradation, Disaster Risk Reduction and SDGs, aligned to ambitions for a sustainable economic development.

Contact the Freshwater Challenge on: info@freshwaterchallenge.org

OFFICIAL freshwater challenge WEBSITE

Purpose of the Freshwater Challenge

Integrate

Ensure that restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems is integrated and properly addressed in the relevant global, regional, and national processes to tackle the climate and nature crisis and achieve sustainable development;

Substantiate

Quantify existing global ambitions and account for the contributions of the different stakeholders to restore and conserve freshwater ecosystems by supporting countries to define quantitative, geographically specific, and coherent targets across sectors and connecting targeted interventions from non-state actors with national plans and strategies; and

Accelerate

Fast track implementation of freshwater commitments by increasing the overall investment into restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems, mobilizing resources through existing funds and initiatives, and leveraging investments.

Supporting the Freshwater Challenge

The group of Supporting Organisations who have supported it since its inception (WWF, IUCN, UNEP, The Nature Conservancy, Wetlands International, Conservation International, Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and UNCCD) will support the Challenge at the global level. More Supporting Partners (CSOs, private sector, academia, philanthropic organisations, etc.) are encouraged to join national partnerships to support the FWC Government Members.

The institutional arrangements for supporting the Freshwater Challenge at the global level are under development with the leading countries and donors.

The Support Unit will provide four major services to the global Freshwater Challenge community:

(i) Set up and manage a Global Tracker for the collection of contributions to the global goals and national targets, aggregating both State and non-state actor projects, programmes and initiatives that comply with the FWC methodology and reporting progress;

(ii) Develop a methodology for restoration and conservation of freshwater ecosystems (e.g. ecological processes and physical characteristics to be addressed in project activities, inclusive governance, etc.), provide support to monitor the implementation and enhance synergy in development;

(iii) Organise an annual meeting of the Member States, back-to-back to an international meeting to keep track of progress, share experiences, lessons, asks, etc.; and

(iv) Mobilize resources, connecting Members and partners at national level to finance and investment opportunities at global and regional levels.