10/09/2026
How does the United Nations Water Convention help countries tackle drought and water scarcity?💧
The scale of the challenge is immense. Roughly half of the world's population currently experience severe water scarcity for at least part of the year, driven by a combination of climate change, population growth, and unsustainable water use. In the last decade alone, deaths from floods, droughts and storms were 15 times higher in highly vulnerable regions (IPCC, 2023).
As the climate continues to warm, all regions are expected to face more overlapping and varied climate impacts. Heatwaves and droughts occurring at the same time are projected to become more common – and more severe.
The UN Water Convention plays a key role in supporting countries to address these challenges. It provides a clear framework for countries sharing river basins to develop joint policies, programmes and strategies, essential for managing droughts and water scarcity together at national, basin and regional levels.
To support this, the Convention offers practical instruments. A Handbook on Water Allocation in a Transboundary Context helps countries equitably and sustainably allocate limited water resources. A Global Network of Basins Working on Climate Change Adaptation, established in 2013 with INBO, promotes cooperation and exchange of methodologies for adapting to climate change in transboundary basins.
Concrete results are already visible: In the Chu Talas Basin, shared by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, climate change is causing glaciers to melt and water supplies to shrink. With the Convention's support, the two countries agreed on a joint action plan in 2023 to tackle these challenges, including setting up a dedicated group to focus on adaptation.
In the Dniester Basin, shared by Moldova and Ukraine, since 2011 there has been a persistent trend of low water levels caused by climate change and increased water withdrawal. The Water Convention, together with partner organisations United Nations Development Programme - UNDP and OSCE – The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, is engaged in supporting the countries in the implementation of the Strategic Action Programme, address pressing challenges in the basin, including climate change impacts, ecosystem degradation and water pollution.
Across Southern Africa, countries such as Zambia and Zimbabwe have in recent years declared National Emergencies due to severe drought. To address these drought crises openly, collectively problem-solve, and exchange good practices across borders, Zambia, hosted a first regional workshop in 2024 under the Convention’s framework, with a focus on strengthening cooperative solutions to these pressing challenges. As Zambia’s Minister noted at that time “amidst these challenges, there are opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and transformative change”. A second workshop is now envisaged, hosted in Windhoek in 2027.
The gap is clear: only 30% of basins have drought alarm systems, and only 14% have joint climate adaptation strategies. The Water Convention offers a proven platform to close that gap – but it needs political commitment and financial support. We invite governments, development partners and financial institutions to work with us in supporting countries to build climate resilience across borders.
📚 Learn more:
- Handbook on Water Allocation in a Transboundary Context:
https://unece.org/environment-policy/publications/handbook-water-allocation-transboundary-context
- Progress on Transboundary Water Cooperation: SDG Indicator 6.5.2 (2024):
https://unece.org/environment-policy/publications/progress-transboundary-water-cooperation-mid-term-status-sdg UNECE
