Across southern Europe, rivers are running dry, and drought warnings are becoming annual headlines. As aquifers shrink and temperatures rise, water security questions are no longer technical. They are political, economic, and existential.

These challenges are not confined to Spain or the Mediterranean. According to UN-Water, only 25 percent of countries are on track to meet global water targets under Sustainable Development Goal 6. The World Economic Forum now ranks water supply crises among the top five long-term global risks. Meanwhile, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that climate-driven water scarcity is already disrupting the lives of billions, especially in arid and coastal regions.

Yet the tools to build resilience already exist. Desalination, advanced wastewater reuse, and circular water systems are proven, scalable, and increasingly affordable. What remains is the gap between what we know and what we implement.

The Implementation Gap

Next week, leaders from Europe, North Africa, Latin America, and the United States will converge in Seville, Spain, for the IDRA High-Level Colloquium on Resilient Water Solutions. The goal is not more analysis, but acceleration. Ministers, mayors, utility executives, and innovators will come together to share strategies, align regulations, and unlock finance to scale up action — urgently.

Seville is more than just a host. It sits in Andalusia, a region that has long learned to live with scarcity and now leads Europe in adapting to it. With large-scale investments in treated wastewater reuse, desalination, and integrated water-energy-agriculture systems, Andalusia offers a powerful example of resilience in action.

The European Union is also moving decisively. Its new minimum reuse requirements mark a shift from voluntary efforts to binding regulation. This is a critical turning point, but the EU is just one part of a global system under increasing strain.

Across North Africa, national strategies are embedding desalination and reuse in water, energy, and food security planning. In Latin America, public-private partnerships are building circular water systems in rapidly urbanizing cities. In the United States, federal and state-level reforms are unlocking investment in large-scale reuse projects.

What’s missing is global convergence. The building blocks of resilience exist, but they remain fragmented. Policy is siloed. Financing is often reactive. Best practices aren’t being scaled fast enough.

From Dialogue to Delivery

For over 50 years, the International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA) has worked to close that gap. As a global convener and implementer, we bring together regions and sectors to accelerate water security through innovation and collaboration. With Special Consultative Status at the UN Economic and Social Council and active participation in UN-Water, we support the United Nations Water Action Agenda by turning commitments into infrastructure, finance, and measurable impact.

The Seville Colloquium is an important step, but part of a longer arc.

In October, IDRA will host the Reykjavik Summit on Water and Climate Change, which will focus on adaptation and Mitigation for a Sustainable Future. In a country powered by 100 percent renewable energy, global leaders, both private and public, will explore achieving net-zero desalination, building circular water economies, and integrating water planning with energy, climate, and food systems.

Then, in 2026, the Saudi Water Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the IDRA World Congress,our flagship global gathering focused on the future of water innovation, investment, and implementation. These events form a strategic roadmap for change, not just dialogue.

When we look at the economics – the case is crystal clear. The World Bank estimates that every $1 invested in water resilience generates at least $4 in long-term social and economic return. But to unlock that value, we must act with alignment and urgency.

We know what needs to be done. The real question now is whether our leaders and policymakers are willing to be bold, shape the future, and implement it.

From Seville to Reykjavik to Riyadh, the path is set. What we need now is scale, courage, and delivery.

Shannon McCarthy

Secretary General

International Desalination and Reuse Association (IDRA)