- Discover resources to help you explore SDG issues
- Figure out which water issue to solve in your community
WHAT IS SDG 6 ALL ABOUT?
Every community is impacted by SDG 6 issues. Here are some big ones you can relate to.
Are you thinking,
cleaning up a local beach
is the best solution?
Did you know there
are many more powerful
things you could work on?
START: UN SDG TARGETS
Click on each tab on the left to read each target.
6.1 By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
Can we address it? (click here)
This is a great target for this SDG and a possible focus.
6.2 By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
Can we address it? (click here)
This is a great target to focus on for this SDG.
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
Can we address it? (click here)
This can be a good target to work on.
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
Can we address it? (click here)
You could try to address water-use efficiency, but this is a large and complex target.
6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.
Can we address it? (click here)
This target involves governments so may not be an easy one to address.
6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
Can we address it? (click here)
This is a general target for this SDG and a possible focus.
6.A By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies.
Can we address it? (click here)
There is a lot packed into this target with some good ideas to build from.
6.B Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.
Can we address it? (click here)
This is a good target, involving your local community in solving the issue.
As a summary, these targets could be good ones to start brainstorming for project ideas.
6.1 Make drinking water safe and affordable for all.
6.2 Provide adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, especially women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.
6.3 Reduce pollution in waterways, eliminate dumping into water.
6.6 Protect and help restore water-related ecosystems, like mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifiers, and lakes.
6.4 Increase water-user efficiency in your community.
6.A Promote water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies in your local community or country.
6.B Strengthen participation of your local community in improving water and sanitation management.
NEXT STEPS
- Look at the SDG 6 targets.
- Choose some of interest.
- Start generating thoughts and ideas around each topic.
- Relate to issues in your own community.
- Connect ideas that relate.
Here is a brainstorming example.
Then
- From your map, select one or two particular areas to focus on.
- Dig deeper with some research into those particular ideas and topics.
For example, you might choose Safe Drinking Water and Water Ecosystems to focus on.
ACTIVITY: BRAINSTORMING
Make a mind map to generate ideas around the SDG 6 targets
- Write down issues, ideas, organizations, people in boxes or bubbles
- Connect related boxes
- Review the ideas and themes.
- Select one or two main themes/issues that interest you and that you have seen in your community.
- Research those topics further and start to brainstorm solutions.
NEXT STEPS
Research
Start with the UN SDG 6 website to learn about the targets and follow links
Community
Connect issues you’ve discovered here to issues you know about in your community
People
Follow people who are working in this space on social media to learn more and even contact them
Document
Keep your links and notes organized using bookmarks and Google docs or folder
