The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Rotary International have agreed to work together to safeguard, clean up, and restore freshwater sources. Announced at Rotary International Assembly, the strategic partnership aligns with the targets of SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), as well as sustainable development, climate, and biodiversity commitments.

According to a UNEP press release, the partnership will help support countries and communities in monitoring, protecting, restoring, and better managing their freshwater ecosystems, including lakes, rivers, wetlands, and groundwater aquifers. It “brings together Rotary’s community-based solutions and UNEP’s technical expertise,” said Rotary International’s President-elect Stephanie Urchick, launching the partnership.

Through the new Community Action for Fresh Water initiative, the partnership will empower Rotary’s youth, known as Interactors and Rotaractors, among other members, by sharing guidance and information from UNEP’s experts and partners on “the best way to protect, restore, and sustain freshwater ecosystems.”   

Rotary promotes environmental sustainability through community-driven solutions, bringing together diverse expertise and fostering collective action to address ecological challenges. Rotary clubs worldwide undertake environmental projects, from local clean-ups and tree plantings to installing solar power, creating waste management systems, and conserving ecosystems.   

The partnership builds on a pilot project, ‘Adopt a River for Sustainable Development,’ recently implemented in Rotary District 9212 covering Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. It revealed that solid waste clean-ups have an immediate impact through community efforts and, as Leticia Carvalho, Principal Coordinator of UNEP’s Marine and Freshwater Branch, noted, “partnerships are key to accelerating water action.”

Rotary International is a global network of 1.4 million members and 45,000 community-based clubs. Environment is one of its seven areas of focus.

The Rotary Foundation is funding program costs over the course of three years, with possible future support. According to a Rotary International press release, to participate, Rotary and Rotaract clubs can identify a local body of water and commit to protecting and restoring it. “They can then engage with the local community and other relevant groups to identify any major threats to the body of water and ultimately develop a plan of action” in coordination with stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and government agencies.

Rotary International Assembly convened in Orlando, Florida, US, from 7-11 January 2024. The partnership was announced on 10 January. [UNEP Press Release] [Rotary International Press Release]