In a world that is struggling daily with climate change and dwindling good quality water resources, we need to find a more holistic approach to water management that considers all the Sustainable Development Goals. It is the responsibility of all authorities, businesses and citizens to work with communities to find solutions for the dwindling of our water resources having regard to society and the environment. This paper attempts to examine how countries can legislatively safeguard essential elements of the human right to water in worsening climate conditions, and what this means for service providers and businesses. A really challenging area that is often overlooked in legislation relates to equality and inclusion in water management, as defined by the Human Rights-Based Approach, the HRBA. This report was prepared in collaboration with Human Right 2 Water, Inter-American Development Bank, Nestlé, Water Research Commission.

The HRBA is included in international law for water, wastewater (sanitation) and the environment, and it integrates the principles of public participation and inclusivity, non-discrimination, access to information and transparency, accountability and sustainability (see Section 2: The Human Rights-Based Approach ).