Under Italy’s 2024 G7 Presidency, we agreed to the establishment of the G7 Water Coalition, which aims to identify common goals and strategies, to catalyze shared ambitions and priorities to tackle the global water crisis, and to mainstream water and its cross-sectoral relevance in an impactful and coherent way into existing fora and processes, including by raising the political focus on water at the global level, and complementing other global initiatives. Italy and Canada under their respective G7 Presidencies have since hosted meetings of the Coalition to initiate its work and discuss future activities.
Under Canada’s 2025 G7 Presidency, through technical-level, scientific and senior officials’ meetings, G7 members discussed global freshwater issues and G7 cooperation and action on freshwater, including:
The key role of both blue water (found in lakes, rivers, and aquifers) and green water (stored as soil moisture and in vegetation), and healthy aquatic ecosystems, for sustaining life, human health and wellbeing, the environment, and the economy;
The vital importance of water for economic stability, prosperity, and resilience, and thus the important implications of accurately valuing water;
The global hydrological cycle, and connections to water-related challenges and extreme weather events;
Strengthening integrated water resources management and promoting Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as essential pathways to improve water quality, address water scarcity, and advance the protection, conservation, sustainable management, restoration, and resilience of water and aquatic ecosystems;
The growing international attention on water issues, and the need to support greater global action and cooperation, including amongst G7 members, to conserve, protect, sustainably manage and restore water resources and resilient aquatic ecosystems, in order to achieve water-related goals and targets;
Meaningfully engaging and cooperating as relevant with partners, including Indigenous Peoples, the private sector, civil society, women, youth, communities and other levels of government, including basin organisations, among others.
Going forward, we will foster and intensify our joint work on freshwater through the G7 Water Coalition by adopting the following voluntary G7 Water Coalition Workplan.
Mode of Work
The G7 Water Coalition Workplan covers a 3-year period (2025-2028). The Coalition’s work is advanced in line with the terms of reference annexed to the Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ Meeting Communiqué, adopted by G7 Ministers of Climate, Energy, and the Environment in Turin on April 30, 2024. One yearly meeting is to be organized by the current G7 Presidency to advance cooperation and collective action on water while avoiding duplication and enhancing synergies with other processes. To support this, additional technical exchanges could be held. The annual meeting could occur on the margins of G7 meetings or other relevant international events.
Workplan
Collective Actions
To improve international cooperation, including among G7 members, and enhance the mainstreaming of water in the international agenda, leading to enhanced intergovernmental and collective action, the G7 Water Coalition is committed to focusing on 2 main aims: collective action and supporting technical exchange.
Coordinated G7 action to support international water efforts
Undertake coordinated G7 engagement in processes and initiatives, where the G7 can shape the global water agenda; where appropriate, coordinate G7 positions on international initiatives.
Mainstreaming water across global fora and processes
Advocate for greater consideration of, and action on, freshwater issues in relevant international fora, in line with relevant Multilateral Environmental Agreements.
Encourage recognition that water is important for agriculture, energy, and emerging technologies such as AI, and that these sectors can have important impacts on water availability and quality.
Integrate freshwater management considerations, as appropriate, in broader international efforts, recognizing that addressing water issues can produce benefits in multiple sectors.
Technical Exchange
Over the course of the Workplan, the G7 Presidency may organize technical workshops or exchanges on specific topics, such as those listed below, taking into account existing work in other fora and capacities. These optional exchanges provide opportunities to share best practices, bolster knowledge and support and inform G7 positions and discussions at relevant multilateral fora. Technical exchanges could engage a broader audience and connect with outside organizations, partners, and/or guest countries (e.g., G20) who can share their work, experiences, and expertise.
Resilience and Adaptation to Water-Related Hazards
Share best practices on monitoring and water management, such as flood and drought forecasting and management, flood plain and river corridor mapping, water recycling and reuse and water allocation, with the objective of more sustainably managing water resources, increasing water use efficiency, and improving resilience to water-related hazards.
Take stock of existing standards and guidelines for the design and implementation of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address water-related challenges, and review innovative water use technologies in agriculture and food systems where a large percentage of water is used.
Technology and Innovation
Discuss opportunities and challenges for leveraging new technologies (e.g. Artificial Intelligence and remote sensing) to advance integrated water resources management (IWRM).
Enhance cooperation on voluntary knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, as well as data-sharing and exchange best practices for leveraging technology (e.g. earth predict changes in global to regional water flows and improve management of water resources.
Linking Nature and Water Action
Identify opportunities for expanding the use of relevant integrated approaches for water resilience, such as IWRM, NbS, and source-to-sea approaches, at all levels, recognizing interconnections and co-benefits between water, energy, food and ecosystems.
Promote understanding and consideration of green water (i.e. water stored as soil moisture and in vegetation) in efforts related to water efficiency, biodiversity conservation and restoration, land-use planning, sustainable forest management, and food systems.
Discuss how actions linking fresh water and nature can be supported by international processes and fora.
Combatting Water Pollution
Identify good practices and emerging approaches to preserve water quality and reduce harmful pollutants, including plastic and chemical pollution, such as PFAS taking into account other international work where relevant (e.g., Minamata Convention, negotiations of a new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution).
Water and Finance
Discuss best practices, opportunities and barriers to mobilizing finance, including private and philanthropic finance, and biodiversity conservation and adaptation funds for water-related efforts, including conserving, protecting, restoring, and building resilience for green water and blue water and natural habitats including aquatic ecosystems.
Take into account the economic and financial risks and impacts of water insecurity.
Meaningful Engagement
Discuss best practices for working in partnership with the communities and groups most affected by water pollution, degradation, and scarcity, both within and beyond the G7, to advance effective decision-making on water management. This includes working as relevant with partners, including Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, local communities and low-income populations.
