Me impulsa creer que todos deberían tener acceso a agua limpia y confiable, ya sea para la recreación o para algo tan fundamental como abrir el grifo. Mi trabajo me ha permitido ver de qué manera la obtención transparente y clara de los datos sobre el agua puede revelar desigualdades que podrían permanecer ocultas y orientar la toma de decisiones. He aprendido de los productores agrícolas, los profesionales del agua y el uso del suelo, y los dirigentes comunitarios que comprender y analizar un problema requiere más que solo datos. Requiere conocimientos prácticos, perspectivas diversas y colaboración.

Estas experiencias hacen que me pregunte: ¿quién puede tener acceso a agua limpia y un suministro confiable y asequible? ¿Quién se enfrenta a los mayores riesgos cuando las condiciones cambian? ¿Cómo convertimos lo que sabemos sobre el agua en decisiones que mejoren la vida de las personas?

Durante los ocho meses previos a la Semana Mundial del Agua 2026, exploré esas preguntas como miembro del Comité del Programa Científico de Jóvenes (Young Scientific Programme Committee, YSPC). Mediante el trabajo con mis colegas miembros del comité y coorganizadores, ASU WISE, UNICEF e IRC/RIVA, ayudé a desarrollar la serie de seminarios de tres partes “Equidad en el agua: de los indicadores a la implementación”. Cuando nos reunimos en Estocolmo, nos propusimos explorar qué significa la equidad en el agua, cómo medirla y qué se necesita para ponerla en práctica.

De los indicadores a la implementación

Nuestra serie de seminarios de tres partes invitó a los participantes a que consideraran lo siguiente: ¿cómo podemos pasar de hablar sobre la equidad del agua a tomar decisiones que la fomenten? Comenzamos considerando la equidad a través de los derechos humanos, la ciencia y la gobernanza. En conjunto, esas perspectivas muestran que la gestión equitativa del agua significa proteger las necesidades básicas, reconocer que los recursos hídricos y los riesgos están distribuidos de manera desigual, y permitir que las comunidades afectadas opinen sobre cómo se gestiona el agua.

Luego, analizamos cómo medir el progreso. En ese momento, me llamó la atención la cantidad de indicadores que ya existen, desde medidas científicas de la disponibilidad del agua hasta las experiencias físicas y emocionales vinculadas a la inseguridad hídrica. Los indicadores existentes nos dan información sobre el acceso a los servicios, la disponibilidad del agua, la gobernanza, el financiamiento y las experiencias de las personas respecto a la inseguridad hídrica. Pero no siempre muestran si el agua es asequible o confiable, ni revelan qué comunidades enfrentan las mayores cargas. Contar con datos más detallados y asequibles nos permite ayudar a identificar esas brechas y guiar los recursos a fin de cerrarlas.

La sesión final se centró en poner en práctica ese conocimiento. Los participantes pidieron sumar los conocimientos comunitarios e indígenas en la formulación de las decisiones, de modo que las acciones reflejen las prioridades locales y se basen en la experiencia de quienes les darán continuidad. También hicieron hincapié en una mayor transparencia sobre quién se beneficia de las inversiones en agua y formas más claras de responsabilizar a las instituciones por sus compromisos.

Los aprendizajes de esta serie reafirmaron algo que trasladaré a mi trabajo: los datos pueden ayudar a las comunidades a ver dónde se encuentran los riesgos y las desigualdades en materia hídrica, pero la planificación se vuelve más útil cuando las personas afectadas ayudan a interpretar esa evidencia y modelar la respuesta y la acción.

Incluir más voces en la conversación

Más allá de la serie de seminarios, participar en el YSPC me brindó la oportunidad de aportar mis propias perspectivas como joven profesional del agua a las conversaciones en la Semana Mundial del Agua.

Participé en el Debate de Jóvenes Profesionales del Agua, donde presenté argumentos a favor de la moción “El acceso equitativo al agua hoy es esencial para asegurar el progreso de las generaciones futuras”. Planteé nuestra perspectiva del caso al rastrear el modo en que el agua ha respaldado la producción de alimentos, la salud pública y el crecimiento de las ciudades a lo largo de la historia. Pero argumenté que el acceso al agua nunca ha sido automático ni igualitario. Las personas que reciben agua segura, confiable y asequible a menudo dependen de la riqueza, la geografía y el poder político. El acceso equitativo significa abordar esas barreras para que más personas puedan beneficiarse de la base que proporciona el agua. Cuando planificamos las necesidades hídricas futuras, debemos preguntarnos qué necesidades se están midiendo, quién puede opinar en la toma de decisiones y quién se beneficiará de la acción que deseamos alcanzar. El debate me desafió a argumentar que abordar los desafíos de equidad hoy en día es esencial para construir un futuro en el que más personas puedan prosperar.

Participar en este debate fue un momento destacado de mi experiencia en la Semana Mundial del Agua. Estoy agradecida de haber compartido el escenario con jóvenes profesionales del agua de Sudáfrica, el Reino Unido y los Estados Unidos, que representan a organizaciones como la Agencia de Medio Ambiente del Reino Unido, The Economist y el Instituto Internacional de Gestión del Agua. Hablar ante una audiencia internacional de experimentados profesionales del agua provenientes de diversos sectores me desafió a reflexionar en profundidad sobre la equidad del agua en el pasado, el presente y el futuro, y a articular esas ideas en persona en un intercambio dinámico. Salí de esa sesión con más confianza, nuevas conexiones y un profundo aprecio por la oportunidad de contribuir a esta conversación global.

Las preguntas y conversaciones que invitan a la reflexión continuaron en un panel de almuerzo de YSPC, donde me preguntaron: “¿Qué debemos entender de manera diferente cuando hablamos de agua para las personas y el progreso?”. Mi respuesta se basó en mi experiencia trabajando directamente con las comunidades a través de mi función en el Instituto Lincoln. Algunas de las conversaciones más útiles e inspiradoras en las que he participado reúnen a agricultores, gerentes de servicios públicos, dirigentes indígenas y otros miembros de la comunidad a fin de diseñar estrategias conjuntas que aborden desafíos compartidos como la escasez, la resiliencia y la gestión del agua. El conocimiento que tienen los miembros de la comunidad sobre cómo se desarrollan las decisiones en la vida diaria es esencial para desarrollar estrategias que funcionen. Pedí que las conferencias como la Semana Mundial del Agua den más lugar a jóvenes profesionales y personas que trabajan directamente en sus comunidades. Si queremos hablar de agua para las personas, quienes se encuentran más cerca de los desafíos deben ser parte de la conversación. Su experiencia y participación son esenciales para convertir las ideas en progreso.

Participar en el YSPC me brindó la oportunidad de compartir mi perspectiva como joven profesional del agua en un escenario internacional y colaborar con personas que, de otro modo, nunca habría conocido. Me fui de la Semana Mundial del Agua con nuevos vínculos y una comprensión más profunda de cómo se puede definir, medir y poner en práctica la equidad hídrica. Espero trasladar esas lecciones a mi trabajo al usar evidencia para visibilizar las desigualdades, escuchar a las personas más afectadas y ayudar a las comunidades a traducir el conocimiento en pasos prácticos para lograr agua más limpia, más confiable y más asequible.

Anna Singer es analista de políticas para la implementación del programa de suelo y agua en el Instituto Lincoln de Políticas de Suelo.

Imagen principal: Anna Singer habla durante el Debate de Jóvenes Profesionales del Agua en la Semana Mundial del Agua en Estocolmo. Cortesía de Anna Singer.

The massive infrastructure boom spurred by an increasing reliance on AI and demand for data centers often compels policymakers to make development decisions quickly, despite significant impacts on natural resources and community well-being. The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s new Findings Report, Developing a Data Center Policy: A Guide for Communities Navigating AI and Digital Infrastructure, explores data center impacts on land and water, shares a framework for identifying community priorities before negotiations with data companies begin, and describes ordinances and risk instruments that can help communities protect their interests—and derive benefits for their residents—when they decide to allow data center development. 

“Data centers will continue to be something communities grapple with across the country for years to come, and every community should be prepared to address the many questions that come along with data center development,” said John Farner, executive director of Land and Water at the Lincoln Institute. “This report provides a comprehensive overview of the many considerations, options, risks, and benefits that policymakers should be aware of, and provides recommendations for how to embark on a process that is informed by and inclusive of land and water impacts and community needs.” 

The report covers several key topics, including community engagement; data center impacts and siting considerations; ordinances, agreements, and legal authority; community benefit agreements; and risk mitigation. 

As part of the report, the Lincoln Institute also published several supporting resources, including examples of zoning ordinances designed to address data center development, risk instrument templates intended to help municipalities organize information and facilitate discussions related to development risk, and examples of community benefit agreement terms. All three resources are intended to provide communities with tangible tools to navigate the process of preparing for potential data center development. 

Read the full report on the Lincoln Institute’s website. 

Kristina McGeehan is the director of communications at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Lead image: Aerial view of a data center in Newark, California. Credit: JasonDoiy via iStock/Getty Images Plus

Water connects more than it polarizes. This was one of the final comments shared during the Driving Freshwater Resilience for Climate-Threatened River Basins event at Climate Week NYC (NYCW), which captured the opportunity at the center of the discussion. Although the climate crisis is increasingly manifesting through water extremes, from floods to droughts to long-term drying trends, accessible water data can help turn shared concern and scientific knowledge into coordinated action in water basins where water withdrawals exceed safe thresholds for the environment.  

That is the goal of the new digital Freshwater Basin Threshold Tool (BTT) cocreated by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s Land and Water impact area and the Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS), together with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The partners launched the tool before a full room in New York City on September 23, 2026. 

At NYCW, presenters described the BTT as an accessible, easy-to-understand tool that supports collective action, specifically for reaching freshwater resilience targets aligned with the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). The tool helps corporate water users set targets to manage water demand from their operations around the world. It pairs globally standardized data with locally relevant information, helping companies reach their targets more efficiently, policymakers make more informed decisions, and planners identify sustainable actions based on seasonal fluctuations and long-term patterns. 

Following a presentation and demonstration of the BTT, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and WWF staff discussed how the tool could support decisions from the global to local level. Peter Colohan moderated the panel, which featured John Farner (Lincoln Institute), Varsha Vijay (WWF), Michele Thieme (WWF), and Gyan de Silva (WWF). 

Panel Takeaways: 

• Vijay highlighted the importance of standardized data in helping companies adopt and meet their SBTN goals more easily 

• Farner emphasized the tool’s regional value for stakeholders other than corporations, including those making decisions about where to site data centers 

• Thieme explained how the BTT can help countries advance global 30×30 targets and translate them into concrete policy, regulatory, and funding goals 

• de Silva elucidated how the BTT can save companies time and money. Before this tool existed, companies had to collect and analyze basin data and consult relevant stakeholders and experts; the BTT automates and streamlines those steps. 

Questions from the audience focused on three related issues: alignment across corporations, confidence in the underlying data, and the ability of individual companies to produce measurable change. The panelists explained that corporate targets are already broadly consistent and that the BTT complements the existing methodology by supplying standardized data. Companies can use the data to guide changes in both supply chain and water usage, as well as in planning remediation projects. Although measurable change will not happen immediately, one company’s choice to make sustainable water use decisions can lead to progress and motivate others to act. 

Looking Ahead: 

As the use cases for the BTT evolve, so will the tool. The Lincoln Institute plans to expand the tool’s coverage beyond the initial 100 priority basins it includes and broaden its use by soliciting feedback from other stakeholders, including policymakers. By standardizing water data and making it more accessible, the BTT can help stakeholders coordinate decisions, identify sustainable actions, and move from shared goals to collective action in regions of extreme water stress.  

Taylor Furrh is a policy analyst for Land and Water at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. 

Lead image: John Farner speaking at the Driving Freshwater Resilience for Climate-Threatened River Basins event at Climate Week NYC. Credit: Taylor Furrh.

I am driven by the belief that everyone should be able to depend on clean, reliable water, whether for recreation or something as fundamental as turning on the tap. Through my work I have seen how making water data transparent and usable can reveal inequities that might remain hidden and inform decision-making. I have learned from agricultural producers, water and land use professionals, and community leaders that understanding and addressing a problem takes more than data alone. It takes practical knowledge, diverse perspectives, and collaboration. 

These experiences keep me asking: Who can depend on clean water and accessible reliable supply? Who faces the greatest risks when conditions change? How do we turn what we know about water into decisions that improve people’s lives? 

For eight months leading up to World Water Week 2026, I explored those questions as a member of the Young Scientific Programme Committee (YSPC). Working with my fellow committee members and coconvenors, ASU WISE, UNICEF, and IRC/RIVA, I helped develop the “Equity in Water: Indicators to Implementation” three-part session seminar series. When we gathered in Stockholm, we set out to explore what water equity means, how to measure it, and what it takes to put it into practice. 

From Indicators to Implementation 

Our three-part seminar series asked participants to consider: How can we move from talking about water equity to making decisions that advance it? We began by considering equity through human rights, science, and governance. Together, those perspectives show that equitable water management means protecting basic needs, recognizing that water resources and risks are unevenly distributed, and giving affected communities a voice in how water is managed.  

We then looked at how to measure progress. At that point, I was struck by how many indicators already exist, from scientific measures of water availability to the physical and emotional experiences of water insecurity. Existing indicators tell us about access to services, water availability, governance, financing, and people’s experiences of water insecurity. But they do not always show whether water is affordable or reliable, or reveal which communities face the greatest burdens. More detailed, accessible data can help identify those gaps and guide resources toward them. 

The final session focused on putting that knowledge to work. Participants called for community and Indigenous knowledge to help shape and inform decisions, so that actions reflect local priorities and are informed by the experience of those who will carry them further. They also emphasized greater transparency about who benefits from water investments, and clearer ways to hold institutions accountable for their commitments.

The learnings from this series reinforced something I will carry into my work: Data can help communities see where water risks and inequities lie, but planning becomes more useful when the people affected help interpret that evidence and shape the response and action.

Bringing More Voices Into the Conversation 

Beyond the seminar series, serving on the YSPC provided me opportunities to bring my own perspectives as a young water professional into conversations at World Water Week. 

I participated in the Young Water Professionals Debate, arguing in favor of the motion “Equitable access to water today is essential to securing progress for future generations.” I opened our side of the case by tracing how water has supported food production, public health, and the growth of cities throughout history. But I argued that access to water has never been automatic or equal. Who receives safe, reliable, and affordable water has often depended on wealth, geography, and political power. Equitable access means addressing those barriers so that more people can benefit from the foundation water provides. When we plan for future water needs, we must ask whose needs are being measured, who has a voice in decisions, and who will benefit from the action we pursue. The debate challenged me to make the case that addressing equity challenges today is essential to building a future in which more people can thrive.  

Taking part in this debate was a highlight of my World Water Week experience. I am grateful to have shared the stage with young water professionals from South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States, representing organizations including the UK Environment Agency, the Economist, and the International Water Management Institute. Speaking to an international audience of experienced water professionals from diverse sectors challenged me to think deeply about water equity in the past, present, and future, and to articulate those ideas on my feet in a fast-paced exchange. I left that session with greater confidence, new connections, and a lasting appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to this global conversation. 

The thought-provoking questions and conversations continued at a YSPC lunch panel, where I was asked, “What do we need to understand differently when we talk about water for people and progress?” My response drew from my experience working directly with communities through my role at the Lincoln Institute. Some of the most useful and inspiring conversations I have been part of bring farmers, utility managers, Indigenous leaders, and other community members together to codesign strategies that address shared challenges such as water scarcity, resilience, and management. Community members’ knowledge of how decisions play out in daily life is essential to developing strategies that work. I called for conferences like World Water Week to make more room for young professionals and the people doing the work directly in their communities. If we want to talk about water for people, those closest to the challenges need to be part of the conversation. Their experience and participation are essential to turning ideas into progress. 

Serving on the YSPC provided me the opportunity to share my perspective as a young water professional on an international stage and collaborate with people I may have otherwise never met. I left World Water Week with new relationships and a deeper understanding of how water equity can be defined, measured, and put into practice. I hope to carry those lessons into my work by using evidence to make inequities visible, listening to the people most affected, and helping communities translate knowledge into practical steps toward cleaner, more reliable, and more accessible water.  

Anna Singer is a policy analyst for land and water program implementation at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Lead image: Anna Singer speaking during the Young Water Professionals Debate at World Water Week in Stockholm. Courtesy of Anna Singer.

The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy’s Land and Water impact area and Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS), together with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), announced the launch of a new digital Freshwater Basin Threshold Tool (BTT), developed in collaboration with the Freshwater Hub of the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN). Designed for corporations, NGOs, water researchers, and other decision-makers, the publicly available BTT Online Beta turns complex freshwater science and data into accessible, actionable information. The tool helps users understand environmental needs at the basin scale, establish science-based freshwater targets, and identify where action and investment can have meaningful impact, while making the evidence and methodologies behind those insights more accessible. 

“The health of watersheds is central to the sustainability of all ecosystems,” said John Farner, executive director of Land and Water at the Lincoln Institute. “The Basin Threshold Tool provides crucial insight into fostering sustainable water systems and maintaining ecosystem health in the context of our changing climate.” 

In its new form, the BTT is an open-source platform that compiles and displays basin surface water flows, levels, storage, and quality around the world. Previously, applying this guidance to set science-based freshwater targets would require specialized GIS analysis, technical expertise, and significant manual work to identify basin boundaries, interpret datasets, and calculate appropriate thresholds. Today, the new BTT brings much of that process into a repeatable digital workflow. 

The Freshwater Hub of the Science Based Targets Network is a collaborative effort co-led by WWF and World Resources Institute (WRI), along with Pacific Institute, The Nature Conservancy, CDP, and Conservation International. Together, these partners developed some of the leading science used in the frameworks, tools, methods, and guidance for water impact assessment, management, and reporting. To support this effort, the Lincoln Institute has made a $300,000 in-kind contribution of data management and software development services to WWF through CGS, a nonprofit technology partner focused on turning complex data into practical decision-support tools. CGS is providing the geospatial, data-integration, and product-development capabilities needed to transform the BTT from a spreadsheet-based resource into an accessible online decision-support tool, supported by data infrastructure that connects user-facing results to the methodologies, studies, and source data behind them. 

“The challenge is not a lack of freshwater science or water data, but making that information easy to apply in real-world decisions at scale,” said Kyle Onda, director of data science and engineering at the Center for Geospatial Solutions. “Rather than building the BTT as a one-off application, we designed an underlying open data foundation that can evolve with the science, support new applications, and extend the value of this work to the broader freshwater community.” 

The Lincoln Institute and WWF will be unveiling the BTT on September 23 at Climate Week NYC. The event, which will also be livestreamed, will include a panel discussion on corporate water engagement and policy and a technical demonstration of the tool focusing on the Rio Grande Basin.  

“The appeal of this tool is its simple interface. It is easy to use, but the data making up the foundation is extremely well researched, detailed, and specific,” said Angela Bowman, senior director of US Waterscapes and Freshwater Metrics at WWF-US. “CGS understands how to make that kind of data accessible to every user and you can feel the ease when you’re using the tool. From a business perspective, that means teams can start using the insights right away and quickly integrate science-based targets into decision-making.” 

Learn more about the BTT.

Kristina McGeehan is director of communications at the Lincoln Institute.

Lead image: Backwater Wetlands of the Mississippi River in the Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. Credit: Wildnerdpix via iStock / Getty Images Plus.

Global leaders, local policymakers, and grassroots changemakers will gather September 20–27 for Climate Week NYC, the world’s largest climate event. This year’s convening, focused on the energy, impact, and action we drive together, will have dozens of breakouts, roundtables, plenary sessions, and side events. 

The Lincoln Institute will participate in several events as part of Climate Week NYC: 

Resilient Communities and Affordable Energy  

September 23, 1–3 p.m. ET, Inclusiv Headquarters (by invitation only) 

Earlier this year, the Center for Impact Finance (CIF) at the Lincoln Institute published “Resilient Communities and Affordable Energy: Charting Roles for Community Finance,” which reflects perspectives from the community finance sector about the strategic opportunities and challenges ahead. The report highlights how community lenders have continued to work to expand access to clean, affordable energy amid shifting federal support. 

Building on the report, CIF will join Inclusiv, a nonprofit network of community development credit unions, for an interactive session where community lenders will discuss different types of collaborations and how to leverage strategic partnerships to expand reach and impact. 

Driving Freshwater Resilience for Climate-Threatened River Basins 

September 23, 5–6 p.m., presented by Panda House 

Science Based Targets Network’s (SBTN) Freshwater Hub is a collaborative effort led by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and World Resources Institute (WRI), along with the Pacific Institute, The Nature Conservancy, CDP, and Conservation International. Together, these partners have developed some of the leading frameworks, tools, methods, and guidance for water impact assessment, management, and reporting. To support this effort, the Lincoln Institute and its Center for Geospatial Solutions have joined the WWF to accelerate the development of the Basin Threshold Tool (BTT), an open-source platform that compiles and displays basin water flows, levels, storage, and quality around the world. Its database includes data, methods, and supporting information designed to help companies as they set science-based freshwater targets.

The Lincoln Institute and WWF will be launching the Basin Threshold Tool at Climate Week NYC with a panel discussion on corporate water engagement and policy and a technical demonstration of the tool, focusing on the Rio Grande River. We look forward to a great discussion on how the BTT can aid stakeholders in tracking basin conditions at different scales, advancing net-zero goals, and making informed water management decisions. 

Architecture, Planning, and International Law: Building Postcarbon Futures 

September 23, 6:30–8:00 p.m., presented by the Center for Brooklyn History and the Architectural League 

The Brooklyn Public Library’s Center for Brooklyn History and the Architectural League are hosting a conversation about what it will take to build a more just and sustainable future, inspired by the Lincoln Institute’s newest book, Building Postcarbon Futures: Land, Justice, and Energy Transitions, by Billy Fleming. Drawing on the 29 innovative climate justice projects highlighted in the book, Fleming will join Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Daniel Aldana Cohen, and Keller Easterling to explore how to reduce emissions while creating more just, equitable, and resilient communities.  

More information about Climate Week programming can be found on the Climate Week NYC website.

Kristina McGeehan is director of communications at the Lincoln Institute.

Lead image: Open lawn in New York City’s Central Park, featuring colorful autumn trees in front of the Manhattan skyline. Credit: StockSeller_ukr via iStock/Getty Images Plus.