SNV at the Economist Water Summit

Water underpins economic growth, social stability, and environmental resilience. Yet mounting demand, mismanagement, and climate stress are pushing global water systems to a breaking point. As Kaveh Madani, Director of the UN University Institute for Water, Environment and Health, recently put it, the uncomfortable truth is that “many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, and many critical water systems are already bankrupt.”

This warning comes one month before the 1st Annual Water Summit, hosted by Economist Impact in London. The summit will convene more than 300 senior leaders from industry, utilities, finance, technology, and regulation to examine how water can be managed more strategically amid rising scarcity and climate risk.

Discussions will focus on valuing water, technological innovation, corporate water stewardship, and the policy and governance frameworks needed to make water strategy a boardroom priority.

SNV will contribute to the conversation, with Nick Tandi, Global Head of Water, speaking on the panel “Water for growth: financing universal access in emerging markets.” The session, moderated by Matus Samuel (Economist Impact), will also feature leading experts, including Saroj Kumar Jha (World Bank), Aida Sitdikova (EBRD), and Tim Cowman (Climate Impact).

The stakes are high. The agricultural sector and industries, such as fashion, electronics, and energy, account for approximately 90% of all freshwater withdrawals. In contrast, domestic and municipal water use represents only 12%. Overall, one in four people still do not have access to safely managed drinking water.

These challenges demand unconventional thinking and collaboration among a diverse array of stakeholders to deliberate on the most pressing water-related questions of today, including: How can we make water stress rank higher in boardroom conversations? What needs to be done to attract more capital? Will technology solve every problem (focusing on AI, data, and leak prevention)? These are just a few of the vital topics that will be tackled during the summit.