The UN 2023 Water Conference will take place at UN Headquarters in New York, 22-24 March 2023, co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands.

The UN organised an online global stakeholder consultation to compile views, experiences and proposals from non-governmental organizations and all interested stakeholders on the potential themes for the United Nations 2023 Water Conference Interactive Dialogues. The online consultation was open between 10 February and 10 March 2022 and a total of 146 inputs from stakeholders based in 46 countries were received.

Stakeholders proposed for the UN 2023 Water Conference Interactive Dialogues to consider specific and cross-sectoral themes, related to the three dimensions of sustainable development (social, economic and environmental).

Stakeholders repeatedly called for the UN 2023 Water Conference to address the interlinkages between water and climate change. Many stakeholders emphasized the hazardous impact of climate change on water resources.

Some participants expressed concerns over desertification and degradation of arable soils and suggested for the UN 2023 Water Conference to feature smart and low-carbon agriculture practices.

The need for stronger cooperation was another theme flagged in multiple submissions. Many contributors indicated their support to multilateral environmental agreements, including sea level rise thresholds and the role of environmental local protection. Stakeholders recommended focusing on water quality during the interactive dialogues of the Conference, taking into account that the quality of water is critical for human development and ecosystem services. Some stakeholders suggested efforts to promulgate legislation prohibiting the abandonment of plastic waste in rivers and lakes.

Key messages and takeaways from the consultation is found in the summary report here.