I talked to 48 water experts around the world about what they think would be game changers for for field of water work. How could we accelerate the pace of positive change for people and water? Here’s some insight that came from our discussions.
Articles emerge daily telling us the current and predicted dire impact of water issues on people, communities, cities, regions and countries. It’s not good news. According to a personality test I once took, my number one strength is positivity. I definitely like to see the bright side in life generally, and as a water-engaged professional. But even this optimist can tell you that when it comes to water, neither the strategies being used, nor the current pace of positive change are acceptable for people and the planet.
Positivity and hope are not sufficient to change the world, but they can inspire action. My action is taking the pulse on game changing water perspectives from around the world. Here’s what I’m doing:
Talking to global water leaders: I asked 48 water leaders from around the world what would be “game changers” to accelerate the pace of positive change for people and the planet, as it relates to the most critical substance for life on Earth – water.
Stirring up water ideas and connections: I’m writing about the findings from these conversations in order to connect people and ideas and to advance thinking and action when it comes to people and water.
So far, interviews included people doing water work in Africa, Europe, and North America, with more conversations still to come. The entities involved are nonprofits, agencies, businesses and funders with extensive knowledge on water advocacy, policy, strategy, education, investment, engagement and networks. These conversations became notes, which I analyzed, enabling themes to emerge. The more conversations that took place the more the themes began to mingle, intertwine and clarify.
There were many themes, but here’s one to share, as a starter for thought and discussion.
We need a way to “connect the dots” because many water entities don’t have a clear sense of where their work fits into the global big picture of water projects and overall progress.
In my interviews, I often encountered a desire for greater clarity on how an organization’s “why,” or reason for existence, fits within the larger framework of how this work is understood globally. Entities want to see the big picture for many reasons: to learn from others, to refine their direction, programs and outcomes, to avoid redundancies, to collaboratively set big goals and measure progress. These are strong motivations, so what’s holding back this understanding?
Entities, such as nongovernmental organizations, agencies and businesses generally understand their individual raison d’etre, mission and goals very clearly. But how well do they understand their own identity in relation to others in their field and with regard to potential partners?
Sometimes these entities may have a partial perspective on this, although these viewpoints have sharp limitations, mostly defined by sector and geography. This limits positive advancements – it’s like being a star without knowing the full scope and possibility of your overall constellation.
While “connecting the dots” in water strategy and action is complex, tools do exist to make sense of it all – there are many fantastic water conferences and networks that excel at information and idea sharing. With active participant engagement, they can help new relationships grow and flourish.
That said, conferences and online networks may have strategic, focused content, but their purpose isn’t necessarily to build an all-inclusive strategy. Participants may end up with some great ideas in the moment, but don’t get a fully-fledged, longer-term strategy for how to apply and leverage ideas with partners over time to move the needle on the BIG picture.
As a community, we lack tools that make it easier to understand the broad lay of the land or “waterscape” for water strategy. We need to be able to more clearly indicate which entities are working on what projects, where entities are in their plans, where they are planning to go, which other entities are also in that trajectory, and how to better leverage effective change. In a more perfect world we can also learn what’s working and what isn’t much faster and act accordingly. Entities cannot truly work together strategically without these tools and planning.
A more positive way to think about this is to consider how much we could amplify our work by working more strategically across organizations, in a more coordinated and informed way.
A large-scale, global framework or strategy that looks at water systemically as “one water” doesn’t exist, in the way that individual water entities are able to identify with, across the broad spectrum of their work. While the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Targets are alive, well and critical to guiding progress for many water entities, they are not used by all for various reasons. And, the SDGs are not an accessible, strategic map or framework that guides, tracks, measures and helps course correct the many entities of different scales and with different roles, with regard to their work on water.
A game changer would be an inclusive global water strategy and accessible, user friendly tools to engage with it. This could enhance, connect and leverage the ripple effect of individual water projects for faster and amplified outcomes.
How might this actually happen? While global connections are important and lacking, it could be about developing clusters of like-minded organizations across sectors, and aligning more locally at first – we have to walk before we can run. Could it be about building on the great foundational work of some of the existing water networks, or networking the water networks? Or what about building a super inclusive movement focused on clean, accessible, affordable drinking water for all? This could be underscored by campaigns about how we better understand, value and appreciate water.
As you read this, what water initiatives are you excited about that you’re involved with and/or running and growing?
Let me know if the SDG strategy, or that of another entity you know of, is headed in this direction. A game changing opportunity to better connect the dots awaits in the waterscape of work water professionals engage in every day.