Why water investment remains insufficient despite growing climate urgency

Summary

Water investment continues to lag behind climate and development needs despite growing recognition of its critical role. At London Climate Action Week 2026, SIWI convened policymakers, investors, and experts to examine barriers to water financing. Key challenges include water being undervalued, fragmented project structures, lack of bankable proposals, and misperception of risk. The discussion emphasized that capital is not scarce, but the enabling conditions for investment are missing. Solutions include better valuation of water's economic benefits, standardized project pipelines, blended finance models, and stronger public-private collaboration to unlock investment at scale.

Source

bskyWhy water investment remains insufficient despite growing climate urgencysiwi.org