Water Policy (Nov 2023)
Transboundary water cooperation under SDG indicator 6.5.2: disaggregating data to provide additional insights at the aquifer level
Abstract
The acceleration of transboundary water cooperation is essential to support water security and ensure mutual benefits of sustainable development. The way existing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) monitoring data is used to raise its importance further up political agendas and inform future reporting rounds is therefore crucial to acceleration. Using data extracted from national country reports of SDG indicator 6.5.2 on transboundary water cooperation, we showcase the level of cooperation, as reported, per aquifer to compliment the national approach currently followed by the official SDG framework. Our analysis uncovers a variety of insights and challenges to transboundary aquifer (TBA) cooperation that otherwise might be difficult to visualize through official national reports. Reported aquifer cooperation is often not harmonized across international borders. A lack of groundwater data and information is a major contributing factor to uncoordinated reporting, highlighting the importance of a sound scientific baseline. However, harmonization issues are also interlinked to a national-focused reporting process where Member States have the right to disagree over the status of their joint cooperation. These results can assist in improving future indicator coverage, both as an awareness raising tool for co-custodian agencies and by countries through direct interventions and coordination with neighbours. HIGHLIGHTS Disaggregating SDG data can provide additional insights into the status of water cooperation.; Reported TBA cooperation is often not harmonized across international borders.; Only 10 operational arrangements covering TBAs are reported consistently by all countries.; A scientific baseline to support TBA cooperation is essential.; Analysis can act as an awareness-raising tool to improve report coordination.;
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