Water Futures Mobilizing Multi Stakeholder Action for Resilience 2025

In preparation for the UN Water Conference 2026, the World Economic Forum aims to mobilize its community for multi-stakeholder action on water. The increasing momentum around water underscores the urgent need to catalyse private sector action and shape a new generation of partnerships. The challenge is clear: water systems require systemic rethinking, long-term planning and bold collective action to build resilience for all. But how can multi-stakeholder collective action best mobilize to build water resilience? This report outlines focus areas and pathways for action directed at the private sector and multi- stakeholder platforms, such as the Forum’s Water Futures Community, which aim to foster water resilience. Through a consultation-based approach, this white paper is the next step towards mobilizing the private sector and fostering a new generation of multi-stakeholder partnerships to make water systems resilient. The report is structured as follows: –Chapter 1: An overview of key issues and trends shaping the future resilience of water systems. –Chapter 2: Focus areas for action identified through the consultation process. –Chapter 3: Pathways for action relevant to the private sector and multi-stakeholder platforms. Approach The content of this report is based on the priorities expressed by the Forum’s partners and the broader water community. It positions these priorities in the context of emerging water resilience challenges and existing efforts to address them. It recognizes the recent publication of GCEW’s landmark report and explores how the private sector and public- private collaboration can play a role in tackling global water challenges. The report draws on insights shared by more than 55 partners who participated in consultations, as well as from a literature review of more than 100 papers and reports. From this wealth of input, the authors identified 15 recurring themes9 highlighting shared priorities and challenges, which provide a foundation for understanding the key issues in water resilience. Together, they shape the methodology used to write this report (see Figure 1). Stakeholder priorities were analysed using an inductive approach to uncover key opportunities and actions. This process identified two focus areas and five practical pathways for action. These are designed to guide efforts over the next 10 years, focusing on both private sector initiatives and public-private collaboration. Together, they provide a roadmap for building water resilience. To guide the implementation of the pathways, the report identifies three components for each pathway: –Collective outcomes to achieve. –Short-term actions to drive collective efforts, with a focus on the private sector. –Illustrative examples of initiatives that could be scaled-up or accelerated through collaboration in multi-stakeholder partnerships. Approach to determine themes, focus areas and pathways to water resilience FIGURE 1 Review, summary and integration of insights from secondary sources, including industry reports, scientific articles and publications. Interviews conducted with stakeholders, including water companies, industrial heavy-users of water, investors, innovators, governments, international organizations, civil society. Topics that recurred in discussions (see/uni00A0Appendix).Two focus areas for water resilience: 1.Mainstream circular water. 2.Rethink water use and restore ecosystems.Five pathways to guide the work of/uni00A0the Water Futures Community:/uni00A0 1.Holistic water valuation. 2.Fit-for-purpose finance. 3.Sustained basin-level partnerships. 4.Adaptive water governance. 5.Collaborative policy-innovation nexus.Literature review 100+ sourcesPartner consultation ~60 interviews15 themes identified2 focus areas5 pathways to water resilience Water Futures: Mobilizing Multi-Stakeholder Action for Resilience 6