Monitoring water and sanitation in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development: an introductory guide
Water and sanitation, as absolute necessities for people, planet and prosperity, are at the very core of sustainable development. In embarking upon the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with a dedicated goal on water and sanitation, credible data is needed to underpin sector advocacy, stimulate political commitment, inform decision making and trigger well-placed investment towards optimum health, environment and economic gains. At present, there are several global initiatives that are monitoring different aspects of the water sector, but a coherent framework is missing. To fulfil this need, Integrated monitoring of water and sanitation related SDG targets – GEMI, is currently being developed, integrating and expanding existing efforts to ensure harmonised monitoring of the entire water cycle. Focusing on aspects related to water, wastewater and ecosystem resources, GEMI complements WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP) and UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (GLAAS) efforts on drinking water and sanitation.