The European Union, speaking on behalf of its Member States at the UN High Level Political Forum, has called for an urgent course correction on Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation), citing the 2026 SDG 6 Synthesis Report as an essential evidence base. In a statement delivered on 7 July 2026 by Roderick Harte, First Secretary at the EU Delegation to the UN, the EU welcomed the report's findings on water's interlinkages with climate, food, energy, health, and biodiversity, and urged that these synergies be placed at the heart of policy responses based on integrated water management.
The EU stressed the value of peer learning and country acceleration efforts, including SDG 6 case studies, to translate global commitments into scalable national and local solutions. It also highlighted that progress requires stronger transboundary water cooperation and increased financing from all sources. The statement pointed to the 2026 UN Water Conference as a key opportunity to turn the Synthesis Report's findings into enhanced implementation, accelerated action, and strengthened accountability. The EU expressed readiness to work with all partners to ensure meaningful outcomes from the conference.
This is the first EU policy statement on SDG 6 in the context of the 2026 High Level Political Forum, with no prior coverage of this specific event in recent months. The statement reflects the EU's ongoing commitment to water-related goals and its push for integrated, science-based approaches to water management on the global stage.