The Singapore Water Center, launched through a partnership between the World Bank Group and the government of Singapore, serves as a pivotal initiative dedicated to advancing global water management practices.
Housed within the World Bank Group's Singapore office, the center aims to foster innovation, knowledge exchange and capacity development among policymakers, utility managers, and stakeholders in the water sector. By integrating advancements in policy, technology, and finance, the Center aims to address pressing water security challenges both regionally and globally. It functions as a hub offering training programs, joint studies, and pilot projects aimed at developing sustainable solutions to mitigate water stress exacerbated by climate change. This collaborative effort signifies a significant stride towards ensuring sustainable water management practices for future generations worldwide.
Background
Exacerbated by climate change, the global water crisis is one of the world’s most urgent multi-dimensional crises and is threatening the world’s ability to meet the SDGs. Around 66 percent of the global population live in a water basin that encounters water stress in at least a few months per year. And it is the world’s poorest and the driest regions of the world that face the most severe scarcity and water related challenges.
We must manage the global water cycle as a global common good, to be protected collectively and in the interests of all. Research by the World Bank Water Global Practice has demonstrated the considerable costs of water shocks, from the macro level, impacting economic growth to the micro level through jobs, food security, health, and education.
Singapore’s proactive approach to water management serves as an example of good practices for countries grappling with similar challenges, given the substantive impact the country faced in urban water, sanitation, and flood management. These challenges led the country in developing strategies, seeking innovative ideas, developing capabilities, and securing a sustainable supply of water.
The World Bank acknowledges the importance of sharing knowledge globally and applying lessons learned across diverse contexts through a combination of lending, technical assistance, and capacity building. Therefore, the Singapore Water Center is dedicated to amplifying the impact of water security efforts by sharing successful practices into policies, technologies, and financial strategies that can be adopted by World Bank client countries.
The Singapore Water Center aims to foster innovation, knowledge exchange, and capacity development in the water sector worldwide through a holistic approach, addressing various sub-sectors and cross-cutting aspects and serves as a hub for promoting excellence and facilitating partnerships to address long-term water security challenges.