United Nations
Water resources
América Latina y el Caribe se caracteriza por albergar casi un tercio de los recursos hídricos mundiales. Aun así, presenta altos niveles de estrés hídrico en ciudades y zonas productivas, un limitado acceso a agua potable, donde 166 millones de personas aún no cuentan con un servicio gestionado de forma segura, menos del 50% de aguas residuales son tratadas de forma adecuada y donde el 43% de los países de la región reporta niveles bajos en la Gestión Integrada de Recursos Hídricos. Para enfrentar estos desafíos y otros relacionados a conflictos por el uso del agua, la CEPAL está impulsando una transición hacia la gestión hídrica sostenible e inclusiva en la región, que persigue garantizar el derecho humano al agua potable y saneamiento gestionados de manera segura; revertir las externalidades negativas (contaminación, sobreexplotación, conflictos) que surgen por el actual modelo de gestión del agua; y, apostar a un manejo circular del agua para aprovechar y reducir la presión sobre el recurso hídrico. Para alcanzar estas metas, la CEPAL, promueve, de la mano de los países de América Latina y el Caribe, el fortalecimiento de sus sistemas de gobernanza del agua, en base a evidencia, para que sean más robustos, transparentes y eficaces.
Activities
Caribbean Youth Dialogues 2025 in preparation of the ECOSOC Youth Forum
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an opportunity to galvanize action aimed at promoting greater inclusion of youth in all spheres. This roadmap recognizes in several of its goals the centrality of the full incorporation of youth as a necessary condition to move towards more inclusive societies, in which no one is left behind, on a path to sustainable development. However, youth in the Caribbean face many challenges that need to be addressed as precursors to creating environments that enable them to reach their maximum potential to contribute to the achievement of SDGs by 2030, thereby leaving a legacy for future youth generations.
Nature-based solutions to increase water availability for agriculture: Second Seminar of the ROSA Project
On Wednesday, May 29, ECLAC carried out the Second Seminar of the Network and Observatory for Water Sustainability (ROSA) Project, which analyzed opportunities to implement Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to increase water availability for agriculture. This event made it possible to disseminate the study that ECLAC is conducting on NbS in the context of Chile's Irrigation Promotion Law and facilitated the exchange of experiences among participating countries.
Study Tour on Resilient Water Infrastructures
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is organizing a study tour focusing on resilient water infrastructures. Scheduled from November 18 to 22, 2024, in Santiago, Chile, this tour aims to provide an in-depth understanding of water management systems and their significance in ensuring water security and sanitation in the region.
First Online Technical Assistance under the ROSA Project – Plurinational State of Bolivia
As part of the Water Sustainability Network and Observatory (ROSA) project, the first online technical assistance for the Plurinational State of Bolivia was held on February 15, 2024. This inaugural session aimed at covering topics from water governance and sustainability, to exploring national needs.
News
ECLAC Presents Contribution to UN World Water Resources Report at 2025 World Glaciers and Water Day Event
On March 21, 2025, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) participated virtually in the regional hybrid event “Celebration of the First World Glaciers Day and World Water Day: Glacier Conservation,” held in Calafate, Argentina. The event brought together experts, authorities, and civil society representatives, with the aim of discussing the challenges and opportunities surrounding glacier conservation in the region, in the context of the International Year of Glacier Preservation and World Water Day.
High-Level Dialogue on World Water Day 2025: Water as a Pillar of Development
To commemorate World Water Day 2025, a high-level event was held at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, bringing together more than 200 participants, including government representatives, academics, international organizations, and key stakeholders from the water sector. This event, organized by ECLAC and various national institutions, provided a space for in-depth reflection on the challenges and opportunities for sustainable water management in the Dominican Republic and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Launch of the Circular Economy Initiative in Wastewater Treatment Plants for Methane Recovery in Colombia
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, a virtual event marked the official launch of a joint initiative between the Water and Basic Sanitation Regulation Commission (CRA), the Ministry of Energy of Colombia, and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The initiative aims to apply a circular economy approach to wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the country, promoting the capture and valorization of methane as a strategy to mitigate climate change and improve the energy efficiency of the sector.
Webinar for World Water Day: Glacier and Water Tower Preservation – Celebrating 200 Years of Relations between Chile and the Netherlands
As part of the United Nations System’s 2025 World Water Day and in commemoration of 200 years of diplomatic relations between Chile and the Netherlands, a high-level webinar was held on March 24 focusing on the preservation of glaciers and water towers. This initiative brought together authorities, water resource specialists, glaciologists, diplomatic representatives, and international organizations with the goal of highlighting the urgent need to protect these strategic ecosystems, which are essential for water security, climate resilience, and sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
