"Progress on Transboundary Water Cooperation Mid-term status of SDG Indicator 6.5.2, with a special focus on climate change – 2024” focusing on the critical role of transboundary water cooperation in tackling climate change and reducing disaster risks. With 313 shared river and lake basins and 468 aquifers crossing international borders worldwide, effective management is essential for sustainable development and climate resilience. During a 2023 monitoring exercise of transboundary water cooperation (SDG indicator 6.5.2), 129 countries provided data, including seven that did so for the first time. This participation demonstrates the ongoing commitment to the sole SDG indicator that explicitly tracks transboundary issues. However, the report emphasizes that current progress is insufficient and calls for urgent, coordinated action to achieve the 2030 targets.

The third global exercise on transboundary water cooperation, conducted in 2023/2024, has been a success, with over 84% of countries sharing transboundary waters submitting data. Indicator 6.5.2 looks at the area of a country within transboundary basins and assesses the extent to which that area is covered by operational cooperation arrangements. 

While the report recognizes progress, it also underscores the need for accelerated efforts. Only 43 out of 153 UN Member States sharing transboundary waters have operational agreements covering 90% or more of their shared water basins, with just 26 countries having complete coverage of their transboundary waters under such agreements. The findings suggest that while SDG indicator 6.5.2 monitoring has positively influenced cooperation since 2017, much more needs to be done to achieve SDG target 6.5 by 2030.

“Countries often face different types of difficulties in progressing transboundary water cooperation, with the top three being a lack of relevant data and information, resource constraints, and difficulties in the exchange of data and information”. (2024, p.4) 

Remarkably, seven countries submitted national reports for the first time in 2023, further enriching the global understanding of water cooperation. 

The report reflects data from the 2023 reporting exercise and digs into how collaboration among countries sharing water resources is essential for addressing droughts, water scarcity, and building resilience.

“It also sheds light on the ways in which transboundary water cooperation can support climate action and disaster risk reduction—a focus that is particularly relevant given the recognition of transboundary cooperation within the decisions of COP28”. (2024, p.vii)

The report was presented at a side event called “Droughts in Transboundary Basins: Insights from the 3rd SDG 6.5.2 Report and beyond” during the Drought Resilience +10 Conference on October 1. The session highlighted the critical role of transboundary cooperation in mitigating the impacts of droughts on shared water basins. The discussion also addressed sectors beyond water management, emphasizing the broader implications of such collaboration for climate resilience.

In addition to the full report, key data and insights are available across several platforms to support policy development and mutual learning. These include:

• SDG 6 Data Portal  – offering detailed data on transboundary water cooperation and other SDG 6 indicators;
• The Summary Brief: Mid-term status of SDG 6 global indicators and acceleration needs– providing an overview of SDG 6 indicators in 2024;
• The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024 – highlighting the global progress toward achieving the SDGs;
• The United Nations SDG Indicators Database– bringing together national data on all SDG indicators.

The report addresses eight key messages (2024, p. xxiv, xxv):

1. Transboundary water cooperation holds huge potential in supporting progress on sustainable development at multiple levels and advancing coordinated and joint responses to climate change amongst countries. 
2. An unprecedented effort is needed to meet SDG target 6.5 by 2030, and ensure that all transboundary rivers, lakes and aquifers worldwide are covered by operational arrangements for cooperation. 
3. There are significant regional variations in transboundary water cooperation. Europe, North America and sub- Saharan Africa show the highest levels of cooperation while Asia, Latin America and North Africa transboundary water cooperation is low 
4. Transboundary water cooperation is indispensable to addressing transboundary risks associated with climate change and to supporting climate-informed transboundary basin management. 
5. SDG indicator 6.5.2 data shows that countries have made important efforts to tackle climate change and reduce disaster risk at the basin level, but more work is needed. 
6. SDG indicator 6.5.2 is having a positive impact on transboundary water cooperation. The 2017, 2020 and 2023 SDG indicator 6.5.2 monitoring exercises have helped address data gaps, especially in relation to transboundary aquifers. 
7. Countries should continue to use the SDG indicator 6.5.2 monitoring exercise to identify and address data gaps, particularly in relation to groundwater, and accelerate efforts to adopt operational arrangements for transboundary water cooperation where they are lacking. 
8. Progress towards SDG target 6.5 can be enhanced by coordinated efforts on integrated water resources management (IWRM, SDG indicator 6.5.1), and transboundary cooperation (SDG indicator 6.5.2)

As countries continue to contribute and update their data, UNECE and UNESCO will offer tools and resources, including national reports, to support global efforts toward improving water cooperation. These materials will be made available online for public access, fostering mutual learning and driving further progress toward achieving SDG 6.5.2 by 2030. “The intergovernmental institutional framework and the programme of work of the 1992 Water Convention, UNESCO’s Internationally Shared Aquifer Resources Management (ISARM) initiative, GEF International Waters and similar programmes can be utilised by countries to provide practical support in the development of arrangements and the establishment of joint bodies. Accession to the Water Convention and the Watercourses Convention also offers an opportunity to mobilise political will in support of transboundary water cooperation”. 

The report ends with key recommendations for the lessons learned from the monitoring exercises, from the findings to progress transboundary water cooperation, and insights to climate change.

For more information, the full report can be accessed in English here

Photo cover: Mekong River shared by Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam by Parker Hilton/Unsplash.