The Catchment Management Declaration: a renewed, collaborative commitment to water
12 August 2024 - Leading organisations have signed and renewed their commitments to the Catchment Management Declaration, which aims to accelerate action for a multisector approach to water catchment management.
Originally launched by the (then) Prince of Wales in 2018, these organisations will take a collaborative approach to managing water and natural capital resources to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities presented in 2024.
Download the Catchment Management Declaration (PDF, 3.14 MB)
What is the Catchment Management Declaration?
This declaration is a collaborative initiative that will create multi-sector water management. It is designed to bring together businesses from across sectors with stakeholders from UK governments and NGOs to tackle the collective challenge of water stresses through catchment management. It aims to positively respond to the UK Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan; to create connections between existing initiatives; and to create real practical actions.
Why the need for the declaration?
We need to recognise that water is a shared resource that is critical to the success of many sectors, the health of the environment, and our quality of life. There are a host of agreements in place and this declaration aims to build upon these to be truly collaborative and recognise that are both shared interests and shared values which can provide positive environmental impacts and economic benefits across sectors.
Together, we can transform UK water management
The declaration acknowledges that change cannot be achieved by a few regulatory tweaks, nor can any single sector or government agency, working in isolation, deliver this change. The declaration consists of six principles, with signatories committing to:
- Recognition that water is a valuable and shared resource
- Support for action through cross-sector partnership and collaboration
- Support the improvement of existing governance frameworks to facilitate delivery
- Work together to increase awareness among citizens of their role in positive action
- Convene to share progress, best practice and demonstrate positive action
- Commitment to deliver against these principles throughout business operation.
Since the original declaration was signed, we know that signatories have embraced a multitude of approaches in support of collective catchment management action - including the delivery of market mechanisms to fund activities; applying ‘soft’ engineering measures to support natural flood management; and tackling misconnections that cause direct water pollution.
Several barriers to progress have also been identified including regulation, funding, evidence, and institutional structure and skills. We hope that this renewed commitment will mark the next stage in comprehensive, collaborative action to improve the condition of the UK’s precious water catchments and the diverse natural ecosystems which they support.