Water Megacities & Global Change

This analytical document of 15 emblematic cities is simultaneously the result of concrete scientific presentations and a call for general mobilization to devise the sustainable urban policies the world needs. All these urban centres share a number of common characteristics: expansive size, disparities between rich and poor districts, environmental and industrial demand that strains the natural resources of an entire region – not to mention the economic weight of the country as a whole – and a wide range of cultural, scientific and educational resources. The international conference ‘Water, Megacities and Global Change’, organized at UNESCO Headquarters in December 2015 during COP21, shone a light on the key role that cities play in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda, pertaining to universal access to water and sanitation.