SDG 6: clean water and sanitation

The Asia-Pacific region has made considerable progress on improving economic and social welfare over the last decade. Water resources have contributed greatly to this transformation through water and sanitation hygiene (WASH), provision of basic services, agricultural expansion, food security and nutrition, and ecosystem services. This was most notable during COVID-19 pandemic, where WASH and innovations in WASH service delivery were at the forefront of disease prevention. As a result, since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), progress has been made to elevate water issues at the national and regional levels across the Asia-Pacific region. However, the region is far from being on track to meet SDG 6 targets as outlined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Access to sustainable water resources is increasingly threatened due to overuse and pollution, growing populations, increasing water demands, water scarcity, a changing climate, rapid urbanisation, inadequate sanitation services and lack of transboundary cooperation.