The Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI) is a multi-stakeholder platform bringing together different United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, academia, the private sector, development banks, and others.
The GWWI has been working over the past 10 years to implement and scale-up efforts to tackle wastewater pollution worldwide. It was formed in 2013 and is anchored to the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA).
Wastewater is one of the biggest challenges of our time: huge quantities of untreated wastewater end up in the environment with damaging consequences for people’s health, socioeconomic development, and ecosystems.
GWWI seeks to change the paradigm of how wastewater is commonly seen, from simple waste to a valuable and rich resource. Wastewater, if managed properly, can help address other challenges, including climate change, biogas production and the creation of green jobs.
The Initiative supports countries in achieving several global targets, especially those in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and specifically SDG 6 on “Water and Sanitation for All” and SDG 14 on “Life below Water”.
