The Knowledge to Act
More

Program

Water

Share This

About Water

Just as water flows across borders, our work stretches across sectors and nations. We are experts in large-basin management, and addressing complex nexus issues such as the interactions between watersheds and climate change, or water, energy and food.

IISD focuses on policy and programming solutions for governments, civil society and industry that protect and enhance the natural environment, while also improving socioeconomic well-being. We conduct economic analyses and hydrologic assessments so that governments can consider different options before making final decisions. And we support the management of watersheds across national boundaries, bringing together all relevant sectors and stakeholders.

Our policy work is informed by scientific research conducted at IISD Experimental Lakes Area, a one-of-a-kind outdoor laboratory that allows us to conduct safe experiments on whole lakes in a way no other research site in the world can do.

Show More

Making Every Drop Count: Pakistan’s growing water scarcity challenge
Feature

Making Every Drop Count: Pakistan’s growing water scarcity challenge

Read More
  • Blog
    Making Every Drop Count: Pakistan’s growing water scarcity challenge

    Blog

    Making Every Drop Count: Pakistan’s growing water scarcity challenge

    Can climate change risks spur needed action?

  • Annual Report
    Supporting the Global Shift to Sustainability: IISD Annual Report 2015-2016

    Annual Report

    Supporting the Global Shift to Sustainability: IISD Annual Report 2015-2016

    IISD’s annual report highlights our contribution sustainable development through a combination of stories, images and data. Because partnerships are critical to IISD’s ability to affect change, this year we have also featured guest articles from the individuals and organizations we have collaborated with.  

  • Video
    Mark Hanson Explains Why IISD-ELA is a Unique Educational Experience

    Video

    Mark Hanson Explains Why IISD-ELA is a Unique Educational Experience

    Dr. Mark Hanson, University of Manitoba, brought a group of students from across Canada to IISD Experimental Lakes Area for a two week field course in the summer of 2016. He explains why IISD-ELA...

  • Report
    Understanding Adaptive Management and Resilience of Coastal Communities in the Hudson Bay Inland Sea Region

    Report

    Understanding Adaptive Management and Resilience of Coastal Communities in the Hudson Bay Inland Sea Region

    This report assesses climate impacts and identifies key actions to improve resilience in the Hudson Bay Inland Sea region, with a focus on transportation and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure.

  • Brochure
    Smart-Sourced Fuel Products

    Brochure

    Smart-Sourced Fuel Products

    Many different types of “waste” or under-used plant materials can be turned into value-added bioenergy fuel products. This brochure, available in both English and French, focuses on such materials available in Manitoba, Canada, including agricultural residues, forestry residues, grassland plants and wetland plants.

  • Blog
    Cattails Into Clean Energy: Where to from here?

    Blog

    Cattails Into Clean Energy: Where to from here?

    Richard Grosshans takes a look at the success our bioeconomy work harvesting cattails into clean-energy pellets, and discusses where the project is headed now.

  • Video
    The Water Brothers Explore Climate Change at IISD-ELA

    Video

    The Water Brothers Explore Climate Change at IISD-ELA

    At the end of May 2016, the Water Brothers visited IISD Experimental Lakes Area to shoot an episode on the impact of climate change on fresh water. They performed some of the science themselves, spoke with researchers,  shot our beautiful vistas and, most importantly, met our fish.

  • Commentary
    Building Transboundary Water Security

    Commentary

    Building Transboundary Water Security

    This article highlights a new generation of transboundary agreements that aim to integrate wider freshwater benefits, notably ecosystem functions. It also points to the need for holistic approaches to freshwater management moving forward, as countries turn towards implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Our experts