This is not a southern problem issue, this is a water issue that is hitting everybody, it’s a leveler. And for a sector like ours, the water sector, which is so siloed, here’s something that is actually uniting all countries by their reality: that they’re being impacted by floods and droughts, and changing weather patterns in a way that they’re not prepared for.
In this latest episode of Distilled, host Will Sarni, CEO of Water Foundry, hears about the current state of freshwater and ecosystems, the private sector’s traction on nature initiatives, the high cost of cheap water, and the challenges facing the sector — as well as exploring the guest’s journey throughout the water industry.
Stuart Orr, Freshwater Leader at The World Wildlife Fund (WWF), joined Will to talk through his journey. To begin, Will began by asking Stuart about his background and what got him hooked on water.
Watch the full video episode below or keep reading for the write-up.
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Stuart on how he got hooked on water and his beginnings at the WWF
Beginning his academic journey in human development studies, it wasn’t until Stuart took classes on natural resources at the University of East Anglia that he became hooked on water. He went on to complete both a bachelor’s and master’s of science in environment and development with a strong focus on water resources.
After graduating with his master’s degree and establishing himself through research papers, his master’s thesis, and consultancy work, Stuart was recommended to the WWF for a one-year research position working on virtual water projects.
Eighteen years on — and now based in Switzerland — Stuart remains dedicated to the WWF, now leading the freshwater team of around 450 employees spread across 80 countries. This team — a mix of scientists and practitioners working in the field and people in the boardroom — works on everything from hydropower and energy planning to community livelihoods and fisheries.
Stuart on the state of freshwater and ecosystems
Will then went on to ask Stuart about the current state of freshwater and ecosystems.
Stuart got straight to the point by saying that the state of the world’s freshwater and ecosystems is, plainly, not good. Suffering an 84% collapse in species since 1970, he highlighted the fact that freshwater biodiversity is the most impacted biome.
However, he said that while it’s easy to lament the negative situations that we’re currently facing, it’s also important to recognize that water is now getting a lot more attention in the news and that people are becoming more aware of why freshwater is a resource worth protecting.
He also said that although it has taken 27 UN Climate Change conferences to get the word “water” into the final documents, the good news coming from the COP28 conference was the commitment to The Freshwater Challenge (the largest global effort aimed at restoring degraded rivers, lakes, and wetlands while protecting crucial freshwater ecosystems). He went on to explain how The Freshwater Challenge is a country-led initiative to set water targets — to which 45 countries have already signed up.
Providing a little more context, Stuart said that the freshwater issue is a water issue and not one that’s split between North and South. He said that it’s a leveler for the water sector — which is usually very siloed — and one that unites countries with the reality that they’re being impacted by floods and droughts and changing weather patterns in a way that they’re not prepared for.
There is a passion behind it and there is a real sense that this is needed, that it’s not just another pledge. This is countries saying, “If we don’t start to prepare ourselves now and adapt now we are going to be in real trouble down the road”, and I think that’s the opportunity that we have in this.
Delving into the practicalities of managing the various organizations involved, Stuart said that it involves constant engagement with countries, many questions to field, and work to manage baselines, measurements, and activities.
Stuart on the private sector embracing “nature initiatives”
Will then went on to ask Stuart about how he views the private sector’s increasing development of new initiatives surrounding nature and the environment.
Stuart said that he’s witnessed various companies attempt to launch initiatives over the past twenty years with limited results. He said that the fact that biodiversity in nature has suddenly become a data point is interesting, especially since he’s not convinced that the private sector truly understands what part of nature or biodiversity they need to focus on.
He went on to say that the private sector also hasn’t reconciled the nature agenda with the water agenda in the same way it hasn’t reconciled regenerative agriculture with water or net zero with water.
However, he said that there’s an opportunity for non-state actors to play a leading role in linking the private sector’s nature agenda with The Freshwater Challenge.
Stuart on the high cost of cheap water
Citing the High Cost of Cheap Water, a 2023 WWF authored by Stuart, Will asked him to elaborate on some of the insights from the report.
Having spent a lot of his career diving into the value of water, Stuart said that the report was really something to be proud of. He said that this report was needed at this point because the world is starting to talk more about the economics and cost of water.
A lot of the things that we really need to be valuing are ecosystem processes. They are things that we take for granted that fuel our economies and underpin so much of what we hold dear.
He said that despite some initial apprehension about presenting the numbers, the reception was overwhelmingly positive and that it was heartening to see people acknowledging the significance of their findings.
Stuart on efforts to encourage the investment community to pay attention to the water sector
Will then asked Stuart to speak about the financing and investment funding coming from the private sector.
Looking back, Stuart recalled the incredible journey that stemmed from the WWF’s work on water stewardship. Through collaborating with companies and landscapes they tackled various challenges, and also informed them that what they should be doing is using their leverage and capital to raise more money to fund further projects.
He said that this was the basis for the bankable idea that they built into program work within his practice. Now, they’ve become a consortium partner with The Dutch Fund for Climate Development, and are looking to build more funds around Islamic finance and other vehicles.
We need to think about how we can finance projects with different blended finance instruments that have a positive impact on water systems, not just a negative. You know, it’s really easy to finance a bad dam and a bad weir and a really stupid irrigation project. Really, you can find that money really quickly. Why am I struggling to find the money to protect a wetland system that is going to save a city downstream?
He expressed frustration at how investors require minimal information to invest in what he calls “stupid” projects, yet have a barrage of questions regarding the worthwhile and impactful projects he’s involved in. However, he recognizes the need for collaboration to prove that there is profit to be made.
Stuart on sport as an advocate for positive action in water systems
Will then prompted Stuart to discuss the current progress of WWF’s partnership with World Rowing, which aims to set new standards in sustainable sports event management, particularly concerning clean water.
Stuart said that the WWF has numerous partnerships with various corporate entities, donors, and other NGOs, and the partnership with World Rowing is essentially two organizations leveraging each other’s brands and opportunities to bring attention to water. He said that they’re always exploring ways to improve the collaboration to promote sustainability within the sport and raise awareness about water issues.
Stuart on the challenges facing the water industry
To wrap up, Will asked Stuart to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the water sector and what projects the WWF will focus on.
We still have our fights on our hands. We’re still dealing with some really hectic situations and some river systems. We’re still dealing with really stupid infrastructure projects. We’re still dealing with illegal sand mining and overfishing. We’re still dealing with poaching and developers just plowing over wetlands. We still have our fights and we will continue to fight the good fight. But for me, it’s about driving as many positive things forward as we possibly can.
Focusing on the positives, Stuart said that he sees the scope of The Freshwater Challenge growing, predicts that the interest in restoring freshwater bodies will increase, and believes that there will be a bigger desire to understand freshwater biodiversity.
He also believes that there will be increased interest in protecting wetlands and rivers — not just for their ecological value, but also for their importance to societies and economies — as well as a growing interest in financing and adaptation financing.
Interested in more Distilled content?
Hosted by Water Foundry CEO Will Sarni, Distilled is a video podcast series that features water leaders from around the world. Each one-on-one conversation explores the guest’s unique career path, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the water industry, and considers what’s next for water.
You’ll find more episodes here.
