Water risk foundations

Water risk and water security: foundations and evidence

Water risk is the chance that too little, too much or unsafe water, or the failure of the services and institutions that manage it, harms people, ecosystems and economies. This foundational guide defines the discipline, explains how it is measured and governed, and maps what is changing before the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Water risk foundations

Published 1 minute read CC BY 4.0

Water risk is the chance that too little, too much or unsafe water, or the failure of the services and institutions that manage it, harms people, ecosystems and economies. This foundational guide defines the discipline, explains how it is measured and governed, and maps what is changing before the 2026 UN Water Conference.

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The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation

Science · evidence · measurement

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