28 August 2014: The Global Water Partnership (GWP) released a Technical Committee (TEC) Background Paper, titled ‘Water Security: Putting the Concept into Practice.’ The report outlines examples of how water security can be identified, including by: determining relevant dimensions of water security; selecting indicators that reflect the main characteristics of the key dimensions; measuring indicators; and scoring and combining indices for each of the dimensions of water security.

The paper includes chapters on: water security – what it is and what it takes; from integrated water resources management (IWRM) to water security; and quantifying water security in practice. It recommends a framework for quantifying water security, identifying and elaborating elements, including: vision and goals; key dimensions; indicators; and IWRM criteria such as social equity, environmental sustainability and economic efficiency.

The paper uses as an example the national water security index in the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO), which was used to analyze water security in 49 Asian and Pacific countries and addresses five dimensions: household water security; economic water security; urban water security; environmental water security; and resilience to water-related disasters.

The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) founded the GWP in 1996 to promote integrated water resources management (IWRM). [Publication: Water Security: Putting the Concept into Practice] [GWP Press Release]