The role of research in integrating the SDGs across integrated urban water management in Australia

Monash Water Sensitive Cities is currently working with Integrated Urban Water Management authorities across Australia to achieve a more considered implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in business planning and operations.

A major challenge facing IWM and the SDGs is how a more integrated approach can be taken towards the goals to better recognise the contribution integrated water management can make to sustainable development in Australia. From a business case perspective, a key challenge to progressing an embedding of the SDGs lies in recognising the economic, social and environmental benefits an SDGs focus can bring to Integrated Water planning and management for organisations.

Monash Water Sensitive cities (as part of the Monash Sustainable Development Institute) is engaged in research focussed on the development of tools, frameworks and implementation pathways to support water authorities in this transformative process. We propose a framework that draws on existing and proposed research outputs to articulate a pathway for the realisation, quantification and implementation of goals in the business planning and operational planning of water authorities. This framework marks a significant shift away from current approaches in IWM which have to date utilised the goals as a strategic reporting measure in guiding business as usual approaches.