WRI Aqueduct Preparing Water Projections Using Latest Climate Data

World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct is preparing new projections on water stress, demand and supply, expected by early 2023, thanks to support from inaugural Aqueduct Pro Sponsors Microsoft and Moody’s Analytics. These will be among the first water projections using the latest CMIP6 climate forcings from the Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Working Group II Contribution to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report.

WRI’s Aqueduct Pro Sponsorship is a strategic partnership between companies and our team. Sponsors provide critical support for tool and data development, as well as platform updates, to continue providing users with the best available data and features. Sponsors also serve as first users, receiving early access to behind-the-scenes data, which includes higher spatial and temporal resolution than is currently available on the open-access Aqueduct suite of tools.

The future projections, expected early next year, equip Aqueduct users (e.g. companies, investors, consulting firms and others) with the best available information on climate-related water risks that they can then factor into internal water strategies, sustainable water management plans, ESG ratings and contextual water targets. 

Microsoft and Moody’s Analytics have joined the sponsorship to develop these new water projections on Aqueduct. Microsoft aims to include this data in its Planetary Computer platform, while Moody’s Analytics will use the data for its physical climate risk datasets.

“This sponsorship and support from Microsoft and Moody’s Analytics enables Aqueduct to make cutting-edge data on water stress, demand and supply publicly available to our various users. We are committed to continue making our data open-source. This data will help companies and communities strengthen their resilience to increasing climate risks,” said Charlie Iceland, Interim Director, Water Program, World Resources Institute.

“Companies and investors are increasingly interested in better understanding their water risks, not just now but in the future. These new water stress projections will reflect the best-available climate science, a game changer for Aqueduct’s users,” said Sara Walker, Director of Corporate Water Engagement, World Resources Institute.

“Microsoft is excited to be an Aqueduct Pro data partner. We are a strong proponent of open data and look forward to leveraging the new WRI Aqueduct future projections as we work to make progress against our commitment to be water positive by 2030,” said Lucas Joppa, Chief Environmental Officer, Microsoft.

“Comparable, global data on forward-looking water stress is an essential input into our physical climate risk datasets, enabling investors, lenders and governments to proactively integrate the changing climate into their decision-making,” said Christos Mitas, Vice President, Model Development at RMS, a Moody’s Analytics company. “We’re delighted to be partnering with WRI and are eager to integrate the next generation of water stress data into our models.”

Since its inception in 2011, WRI’s Aqueduct tools have informed companies, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) about water-related risks such as floods, droughts and stress through the following tools:

• Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, which maps and analyzes current and future water risks across locations; 
• Aqueduct Food, which identifies current and future water risks to agriculture and food security;  
• Aqueduct Floods, which identifies coastal and riverine flood risks, and analyzes the costs and benefits of investing in flood protection; and 
• Aqueduct Country Rankings, which allows decision-makers to understand and compare national and subnational water risks.

Aqueduct’s success is tied to partners investing in its expansion and supporting the strategic development of additional datasets and tools. Our Aqueduct tools use best-in-class, open-source, peer-reviewed data, have reached hundreds of thousands of users across the globe and informed decision-makers in and beyond the water sector. Beyond the tools, the Aqueduct team works one-on-one with companies, governments and research partners through the Aqueduct Alliance to help advance best practices in water resource management and enable sustainable growth in a water-constrained world.

For more information about the Sponsorship, visit the Aqueduct Pro webpage.

About Aqueduct

WRI’s Aqueduct tools, developed by WRI’s Water Program, use open-source, peer-reviewed data to map water risks such as floods, droughts and stress. Our tools include: Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, which maps and analyzes current and future water risks across locations; Aqueduct Country Rankings, which allows decision-makers to understand and compare national and subnational water risks; Aqueduct Food, which identifies current and future water risks to agriculture and food security; and Aqueduct Floods, which identifies coastal and riverine flood risks, and analyzes the costs and benefits of investing in flood protection. Over the past seven years, WRI’s Aqueduct tools have reached hundreds of thousands of users across the globe and informed decision-makers in and beyond the water sector. Beyond the tools, the Aqueduct team works one-on-one with companies, governments and research partners through the Aqueduct Alliance to help advance best practices in water resource management and enable sustainable growth in a water-constrained world.

About World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with international offices in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, regional offices in Ethiopia (for Africa) and the Netherlands (for Europe), and program offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Our more than 1,600 experts and staff turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. More information at www.wri.org or on Twitter @WorldResources.