More than 40% of the world’s population currently lives in water-stressed river basins, and water demand will rise by 55% by 2050. The significant investment required to renew and upgrade infrastructure is estimated at USD 6.7 trillion by 2050 for water supply and sanitation. Increasing water demands and competition, institutional fragmentation in the water sector, monopoly in water services provision and capital intensive water investments puts water at a high risk of corruption, especially when combined with weak transparency, accountability and participation, lack of independent media and social and political instability. Annual financial losses to the sector due to corruption have been moderately estimated in excess of USD 75bn. Ultimately,
corruption puts development and its sustainability at jeopardy and the achievement of the SDGs will take much longer and at a much higher cost, if accomplished at all.
This session will examine
social and technological innovations to promote integrity in water in developed and developing economies. - Presentation by Hamish Goldie-Scot:
http://www.oecd.org/corruption/integrity-forum/2019-GACIF-Hamish-Goldie-Scott-water-integrity.pdf