In March 2025, Collective Action for a Water-Secure World (C4W) convened leading voices from across key sectors in Washington, DC, and New York City, to explore a new way of doing business for water security. These back-to-back roundtables brought together over a dozen experts from the government, private sector, philanthropy, and civil society to confront the urgent and growing crisis of water insecurity.
Spanning two days and two cities, the roundtables focused on how to move beyond traditional, fragmented solutions toward a unified and urgent collective action approach. The conversations included thought leaders such from IWMI, Apple, Clinton Global Initiative, and many others who have been instrumental in shaping global thinking on water, sustainability, and systems change.
At the heart of the roundtable discussions was a shared recognition: the current way of working is not sufficient. Water insecurity is growing, fueled by an increasingly unstable hydrological cycle, climate change, and development pressures. Fragmentation across sectors and institutions has stalled progress and robbed communities of the water security they need to thrive.
A call for bold and transformative action
“This is about a new way of doing business,” said John Etgen, Executive Director of C4W. “We’re not just talking about water anymore. We’re talking about partnerships, trust, systems thinking, and bold action. We’re not here to tweak the system—we’re here to transform it.”
Key themes emerged from the sessions:
- Urgency and innovation: The hydrologic cycle is no longer predictable. That means the past is no longer a guide—and tomorrow demands bold thinking today.
- Collective action at scale: It’s not about isolated projects but building trust-based alliances across sectors to co-design and co-deliver impactful solutions.
- Creating safe spaces: C4W is committed to fostering inclusive, open dialogue where diverse voices—especially from youth—are not only welcomed but amplified.
- Local to global: While city mayors were identified as powerful agents of change, participants emphasized that water security must be tackled across all levels—from families and communities to nations and regions.
- Youth as catalysts: Building on the foundation of the Transformative Futures for Water Security dialogues, youth engagement is not a box to check but a driving force for change.
Turning insights into action
These roundtables represent more than a meeting of minds—they mark a turning point in C4W’s journey. The ideas, energy, and networks generated will feed directly into C4W’s emerging strategy, programs, and advocacy. With the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) as its founding partner, C4W is now poised to catalyze science-based, collective solutions for people and ecosystems worldwide.
“Let’s aim high,” concluded Etgen. “This is not the time to nickel-and-dime our way to solutions. We have a vision—and the partners, passion, and urgency to make it real.”