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United Nations Sustainable

Development Goals

Discussion PaPerissueD may 2017

www.awa.asn.au

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contents

PurPose of the PaPer

What are the sustainable DeveloPment Goals?

hoW is australia PerforminG aGainst the sDGs?

australian Government Commitment

sDGs anD the Water inDustry

sDG aPProaChes - aWa

sDG aPProaChes - Wsaa

sDG aPProaChes – iWa

sDG aPProaChes - Water utilities

sDG aPProaChes - Global ComPaCt netWork australia

sDG aPProaChes – researCh institutes

sDG aPProaChes - inDustry

future aPProaCh oPtions

so Where to noW?

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Purpose of Paper

The Australian Water Association is working closely with stakeholders across the water sector to support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular, SDG 6. The purpose of this discussion paper is to provide an overview of the SDGs, to give an understanding of how the goals are being approached and to ask what approach the water industry could take to them moving forward.

The Australian Water Association and its members have had a long history of “ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” (SDG 6). Depending on your view we have either been very successful, or still have a long way to go.

The Association’s goal is around delivering information, expertise and collaboration for sustainable water management. This goal has been developed and refreshed to meet the ongoing changes to the industry, since the inception of the association in 1962.

The Association has had an international program in place for many years. It was significant in the establishment of both WaterAid and the Australian Water Partnership. Specialist networks around WASH and Sustainability continue to operate.

The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist Network has a goal to promote knowledge-sharing between WASH specialists for assisting developing

countries. The Sustainability Specialist Network acts as a hub and filter for information on sustainability, including climate change and as a forum to locate, share and develop information and best practice within sustainability. 

Our current international program focuses on profiling and positioning the expertise and experience of our members to play roles in the international market.

What are the sustainable Development Goals?

The SDGs follow on from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which had some targeted success. In 1990 47% of the world population were poverty stricken, living on less than $1.25/day. By 2015, that figure was down to 14%.

A review of MDGs during the Rio +20 Conference (2012) revealed that;

◗ The goals should apply to all countries, not just developing nations

◗ The goals should be broader

◗ The goals should use a Triple Bottom Line approach

Since then 193 countries have signed up to the SDGs, committing to 17 goals and a total of 163 imbedded targets. The SDGs provide a benchmark, spur network development and motivate the community. The goals are shown in the table below.

united nation’s sustainable DevelopmentGoals

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How is australia performing against the sDGs?

Australia’s current performance has been assessed as part of the independent SDG index undertaken in 2016 by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). We currently rank in 20th position globally, with a new report to be published in July 2017.

Within the assessment, Australia’s performance is seen as ‘good’ in the areas of SDG3 (Good Health and Well-Being); SDG6 (Clean Water and Sanitation); and SDG11 (Sustainable Cites and Communities). Our performances were seen to be ‘poor’ in SDG2 (Zero Hunger); SDG7 (Affordability and Clean Energy); SDG13 (Climate Action); SDG14 (Life below water); SDG15 (Life on land); and SDG17 (Partnerships for the goals).

oeCD Country’s ranking of sustainable Development Goals Progress (sDsn 2016)

australia’s performance against the sDGs (sDsn 2016)

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australian Government commitment to the sDGs

The Australian Government has signed onto the SDGs. Our Prime Minister sits on the UN High Level Panel on Water, an SDG 6 implementation panel of 11 world leaders.

The delivery of our commitment sits across 21 Commonwealth portfolios, with the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Department of Health and the Department of Environment & Energy addressing most of the targets. These departments also align in many cases with the areas rated as having poor performance by the 2016 review.

sDGs and the Water industry

The SDGs are interlinked and the water sector can adopt multiple targets from a range of goals, however Goal 6 aligns most directly to the sector. Goal 6 has the title Clean Water and Sanitation Targets with the following embedded targets.

1. Access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.

2. Access to sanitation and hygiene for all.

3. Improve water quality (halve the proportion of untreated wastewater and increase recycling).

4. Improve water efficiency.

5. Implement integrated water resources management at all levels.

6. Protect and restore water-related ecosystems.

6 a&b. there are two more SDG6 targets- which outline implementation

Most of the other goals also have aspects that can be related to water and can therefore be relevant to the water sector. The University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute identifies that apart from SDG6, water is mentioned in; SDG3 (Health impacts form water-borne diseases and contamination); SDG11 (Water-related disasters); SDG12 (Water Pollution); and SDG13 (Conservation of water ecosystems)

They also identify that whilst all SDGs are interlinked, SDG13 (Climate Action) and SDG17 (Partnerships) are the major influences of all SDGs. Both climate action and partnerships are key issues within the Australian water sector.

A more holistic approach has been proposed by some, where clean water and sanitation is at the centre of all the SDGs. The model below demonstrates a view that we address all the SDGs.

“The Sustainable Development Goals can only ever be a statement of ambition unless we plan for how we will achieve them.”

Julie Bishop Speech to UN 27 Sept 2015

holistic model of sDGs with sDG6 at the Centre (karazhanova 2016

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sDG approaches – aWa

The Australian Water Association currently supports the intent of the SDGs and sees it’s main role is to disseminate information on the SDGs and to monitor their implementation by the water sector in Australia.

To date the Association has;

◗ Presented a “Webinar: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” with the University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute 31 Oct 2016.

◗ Presented a technical event “Why we need to understand the UN Sustainable Development Goals & 2017 Program Launch” Melbourne 15 Feb 2017.

◗ Presented a WASH Seminar- World Water Day: The SDGs and why they matter!” Sydney 22 Mar 2017.

◗ Published articles by our WASH Specialist Network.

◗ Published articles by our media partner.

◗ Created a stream within Ozwater17 within the Policy & Advocacy Stream as well as some individual presentations.

sDG approaches - Wsaa

The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) has commissioned a positon paper to be developed to address the commitments of its members. WSAA is taking a broad approach to SDGs and the positon paper will cross all goals. AWA and WSAA will continue to work closely on the SDGs to ensure the most united approach is adopted by the Australian water sector.

sDG approaches - iWa

The International Water Association (IWA) has established an approach to SGD’s including;

◗ Encourage national and local governments to review their water policies and to ensure that expected results in 2030 match with the SDG targets; to amend these policies if needed; and to set up SDG action plans aiming at achieving their expected national and local contributions by 2030.

◗ Encourage its members and all water professionals to contribute actively to the efforts of their respective governments and, where and when possible, to act themselves towards the achievement of the SDG Targets.

◗ To develop strategic plans for support to efforts aimed at the practical implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with respect to the targets under SDG6, through the national IWA Committees, as part of their National Action Plans, and with support from the IWA Secretariat.

◗ To develop further guidance and concrete suggestions for the contributions of the Association to the SDGs, and extend international assistance and cooperation to national and local governments and other stakeholders.

sDG approaches – australian Water utilities

The approach of water utilities is varied. SDGs have been recognised by most Water Utilities. Some have been resistant, not recognising SDGs as part of their core business. Yarra Valley Water and Melbourne Water are both signatories to the 2016 ‘CEO Statement of Support for the SDGs’ (Global Compact Network Australia 2016)

Yarra Valley Water has aligned its business strategy with the SDGs. So far, they have:

◗ Identified 40 targets (out of 163) that related to their business;

◗ Used the SDGs as a way to review their business strategy to achieve their purpose;

◗ Developed a Restorative Environmental Strategy which focuses on greenhouse gas neutrality; and a net neutral impact on waterways (both are SDG targets);

◗ Identified that 50% of their customers were struggling to pay water bills and established a Vulnerability Roundtable. 

Melbourne Water also see that the water industry would benefit greatly from reviewing and aligning to these goals, not only to provide services that our customers and client’s value, to provide services to those who need it most.

viewpoints of sDGs

Depending who you ask, they can be;

•The need to provide WASH assistance and Foreign Aid;

•An opportunity to export Australian water skills;

•An opportunity to align our business with the SDGs;

•The need to apply them within this country and ensure water security for all Australians; and/or

•All the above.

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sDG approaches – Global compact network australia

The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, with over 12,000 participating businesses and other organisations, and growing. Within Australia, the Global Compact Network Australia (GCNA) brings together leading companies, non-profits and universities, to advance corporate sustainability and the private sector’s contribution to sustainable development. 

The GCNA has developed a statement of support of SDGs for its membership. Several water industry organisations are members of the GCNA and have signed the statement of support.

sDG approaches – research institutes

Most universities and research institutes within Australian have established entities to add to the body of knowledge and performance of the SDGs. Some of these include;

◗ The University of Queensland’s Global Change Institute.

◗ The University of Technology, Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures.

◗ Monash University’s Sustainable Development Institute

◗ The SDSN Australia / Pacific.

It is expected that a continuous stream of information and reporting on the performance of the SDGs will be generated from these entities.

sDG approaches – industry

Industry is taking various approaches to SDGs, for example;

◗ KPMG – signed up to and working with the global impact to provide tools/assessment of how to contribute to SDGs. They have positioned themselves as advisor to organisation who want to contribute to the SDGs.

◗ SMEC – signed up to UN global impact and have integrated the SDGs into their business and annual reporting.

Many organisations with European connections appear more likely to have made comments on the SDGs (ie Veolia and Suez). There is still some disconnect within Australian industry. Many utilities and companies in the water sector have not made their position known.

Future Water industry approach options

Various options exist for ongoing development of SDGs within the industry including;

◗ Issuing a general Statement of Support for the SDGs that individuals and other organisations can ‘opt in’ to support. The Global Compact Network Australia has developed such a statement and many have signed this statement.

◗ Supporting the development of the WSAA SDG paper which will provide ongoing opportunities and best practise frameworks for the industry.

◗ Providing an on-going platform to disseminate developments and briefings on the SDGs for the water sector. This would include utilisation of our current specialist networks, technical events, publications and future Ozwater events.

◗ Looking at providing a point in time status report of what is being undertaken by the water sector to assist in the implementation of the SDGs. This is currently being undertaken by several institutions and it may be more beneficial to provide a forum to distribute this work.

◗ In the association paper “Emerging challenges and opportunities to secure our water future” we have called on the Commonwealth and State Governments to make a clear statement on water security for Australian – 2030. The commitment to the SDGs both within and outside of Australia should be made clear in this statement.

◗ Advocating for the Commonwealth Government to develop a roadmap of where the water industry needs to be in 10 years to see ourselves as having successfully implemented the SDGs.

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so where to now?

The water industry needs to play a leading role in the roll out of the SDGs within Australia. Much of the Australian Water industry needs to commit to the SDGs and better understand their role in contributing to them. This is being facilitated through leadership from AWA/WSSA with the following actions:

◗ The Australian Water Association calling on the Commonwealth Government to include a statement on SDGs in a “National Statement on Water Security for Australia – 2030”.

◗ The Water Services Association of Australian developing a paper for its members on SDGs and their options for implementing them.

◗ The Australian Water Association providing an ongoing platform to disseminate developments and briefings on the SDGs for the Water Industry. Our Specialist Networks included WASH and Sustainability will include SDGs as part of their brief. We will encourage our branches and specialist networks to develop technical events and publications on SDGs. Opportunities will be made at future Ozwater Conferences for members to promote their SDG implementation.

What do you think our approach to sDGs should be?

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australian Water assoCiation

PO Box 222St Leonards, NSW 1590, Australia

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