Pacific Institute

08/19/2026

Pacific Institute's Dr. Shannon McNeeley recently spoke with Rose Schnabel of WUFT News about how capacity constraints can make it harder for smaller and rural communities to access flood-resilience funding. This can create barriers for communities to get the help they need.

Read more:

Resilient Florida was created to provide funding to help communities prepare for the impacts of more frequent and severe flooding, but not all who are at risk get the help they need.

07/13/2026

Some of the most important work in advancing water resilience happens behind the scenes.

Building trusted partnerships, strengthening evidence, and developing the data and relationships that inform policy may not make headlines, but these efforts lay the foundation for lasting impact. They are also among the most difficult aspects of water work to fund.

In a new blog, Pacific Institute's Nicole Wickenhauser and BHP Foundation's Alyna Wyatt reflect on the importance of long-term, flexible philanthropy in advancing water equity and resilience. Together, they explore how sustained investment in research, collaboration, and institutional capacity can catalyze broader change, unlocking new partnerships, informing policy, and creating the conditions for lasting impact.

As water challenges continue to grow, strategic philanthropy has an essential role to play in building the evidence, trust, and capacity needed to strengthen water resilience for communities around the world.

Read the blog: https://pacinst.org/why-the-most-important-water-work-is-the-hardest-to-fund/

07/09/2026

The Pacific Institute’s Water Conflict Chronology is now a part of our broader Water and Peace Initiative, with data, research, and technology to help move from understanding water-related conflict to reducing it.

At the heart of this work is more than three decades of Pacific Institute leadership in compiling, curating, and analyzing incidents where water has been a trigger, casualty, or weapon of violence. This evidence base helps researchers, policymakers, journalists, communities, and partners better understand where water-related conflict is occurring, how patterns are changing, and what conditions may increase future risk.

Through the Water and Peace Initiative, we are building on this foundation to support deeper analysis, stronger resilience, and practical pathways for cooperation and peace.

Explore the Water and Peace Initiative: https://pacinst.org/water-and-peace-initiative/

07/08/2026

With increasing focus on nature-positive actions and global biodiversity targets, companies require guidance, approaches, and tools that extend beyond simply mitigating water risk to providing larger ecosystem benefits. But few resources exist to account for the biodiversity benefits of projects.

Our Biodiversity Benefit Accounting (BioBA) guidance helps provide a practical 7-step framework to guide companies from project assessment to monitoring and reporting.

Read more: https://pacinst.org/7-steps-to-integrate-biodiversity-into-corporate-water-stewardship/

06/30/2026

"Enabling DOE Regional Energy-Water Technology Pilots," a new report from the The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, examines how regional pilot programs can help strengthen energy-water resilience, reliability, and sustainability.

Pacific Institute's Chief Research and Program Officer Heather Cooley served on the expert committee selected by the National Academies to develop recommendations for how the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) can design and implement regional energy-water technology pilots that reflect local needs, foster collaboration, and support long-term learning and adaptation.

The report highlights the importance of systems-level approaches, cross-sector partnerships, and regionally tailored solutions to address growing pressures on energy and water resources.

Learn more and read the report: https://www.nationalacademies.org/projects/DELS-WSTB-23-02

06/24/2026

The Pacific Institute’s June newsletter presents our latest updates in .

Read the full newsletter here: https://conta.cc/4uEUh3R
Subscribe to get first access straight to your inbox here: https://pacinst.org/newsletter/

06/16/2026

Have you read our latest issue brief? 💧

California’s population and economy have grown dramatically since the 1960s, while total water use has increased only modestly, reflecting a decoupling of water use from growth.

Launched last month, “Water for Nature and People: Trends in California, 1960–2022" examines urban and agricultural water use alongside environmental flows using the most recent statewide data and publicly available information.

Read more: https://pacinst.org/publication/water-for-nature-and-people-trends-in-california-1960-2022/

06/01/2026

Water is essential for California, supporting households, agriculture, ecosystems, and the state’s economy. Yet across the state, rivers, streams, and aquifers are stressed from overuse, and climate change and continued growth are increasing pressure on water resources.

Our latest blog highlights 5 key findings from 60 Years of water use in California. Read more: https://pacinst.org/5-key-findings-from-60-years-of-water-use-in-california/

05/08/2026

The Pacific Institute's Water Conflict Chronology was recently featured by Smart Water Magazine.

The article highlights how and infrastructure are increasingly targets during armed conflicts in recent years. The Water Conflict Chronology is the world's leading effort to identify, track, and analyze water-related conflict from around the world.

Read the article: https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/smart-water-magazine/water-a-military-asset-when-infrastructure-becomes-a-target
Explore the database: https://pacinst.org/water-conflict-chronology/

From Kakhovka to Gaza, the deliberate destruction of water systems has become a defining feature of modern conflict.

04/30/2026

The Pacific Institute’s April newsletter presents our latest updates in .

Read the full newsletter here: https://conta.cc/4dedeoD
Subscribe to get first access straight to your inbox here: https://pacinst.org/newsletter/