Reporting under SDG indicator 6.5.2 on transboundary water cooperation
With 153 countries sharing transboundary waters, which account for over 60 per cent of the world’s flow of freshwater, the importance of cooperation for their equitable and sustainable management couldn’t be clearer. Advancing transboundary water cooperation through the accelerated adoption of operational arrangements between countries can contribute significantly to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) on water and sanitation and the 2030 Agenda as a whole.
SDG Indicator 6.5.2
SDG 6 is critical to the overarching aim of the 2030 Agenda, which is to eradicate extreme poverty and create a better and more sustainable world. Within SDG 6, Target 6.5 emphasizes the importance of transboundary water cooperation, and in order to monitor progress, Indicator 6.5.2 tracks the percentage of transboundary basin area within a country that has an operational arrangement for water cooperation.
Together, UNESCO and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) are custodians of Indicator 6.5.2. They coordinate the reporting process and provide countries with methodologies, technical support and capacity-building activities.
- Contact
- Reporting template
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Indicator 6.5.2 monitoring is undertaken in the framework of the coordinated by UN-Water.
Third reporting exercise (2023-2024)
The 3rd reporting round of Indicator 6.5.2 monitoring started in February 2023. Countries sharing rivers, lakes and aquifers were invited by UNESCO and UNECE to submit their national reports by 30 June 2023. 129 countries responded to the exercise and, based on the analysis of the data received, the 3rd Progress Report was prepared with a special focus on climate change.
- Global lag on water cooperation undermines resilience to climate change, worsening impacts of floods and droughts
- Only 43 countries have operational arrangements in place for 90% or more of their shared rivers, lakes and aquifers
- Europe, North America and Sub-Saharan Africa show greatest levels of cooperation; much more progress is needed in Latin America and Asia
- There is an insufficient knowledge and cooperation on groundwater – indicator 6.5.2 provides an unprecedented opportunity for countries to consider their transboundary aquifers
Second reporting exercise (2020-2021)
In 2020-2021, over 80% of countries sharing transboundary waters participated in the 2nd monitoring exercise of Indicator 6.5.2 of SDGs.
According to the conclusions of this round of reporting, only 24 out of 153 countries had all of their waters covered by operational arrangements. A major effort is therefore needed to accelerate progress.
- There is a need to invest more heavily in building capacity on water cooperation and on groundwater resources.
- Countries should translate the knowledge into concrete policy proposals and actions to improve their cooperation.
First reporting exercise (2017-2018)
Over the course of 2017 and 2018, a total of 107 out of 153 countries sharing transboundary waters responded to the invitation to report on SDG indicator 6.5.2. The results of the reporting established the baseline for transboundary water cooperation across the globe, shedding light on the gaps and capacity development needs, in particular regarding shared groundwater resources and transboundary aquifers.
- Cooperation on transboundary aquifers represents a particular challenge and is lagging further behind.
- Transboundary water cooperation is supported by the Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (Watercourses Convention), the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention) and the Draft Articles on the Law of Transboundary Aquifers.
