The Union for the Mediterranean held the First Online Conference on Digital Transformation of the Water Sector in the Mediterranean, as a valuable platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and explore innovative solutions for water institutions and utilities in the region. This conference also served as a first step towards a Roadmap Towards Digitalization of the Water Sector in the Euro-Mediterranean Region, as the UfM member countries deem the development of a roadmap essential to formulate effective strategies to achieve the SDG 5 and address the pressing water-related issues in the region.

The Mediterranean region faces unique challenges when it comes to managing its water resources, mainly due to its geographical, climatic, and socio-economic diversity. More than 180 million people experience water poverty in the Mediterranean. An additional 60 million face water stress to some degree.

Urban areas in the Mediterranean have been experiencing major transitions and are facing the pressures of increasing demands. Climate change impacts extremes such as floods and droughts; demography and migration. At the same time, socio-economic development is a key driver for an increasing urban use of water that in combination with an aging infrastructure adds to the already existing risks inherent to traditional urban water management. Alone, urbanization of the Mediterranean has grown from 152 million to 315 million between 1970 and 2010 (an average rate of 1.9 % per year).

With the ever-increasing demand for water combined with the need for sustainable water management, digital transformation has emerged as a transformative force in the water sector. Digital solutions and innovation are also needed to ensure sustainable and cost-efficient water management that can tackle challenges such as climate change, pollution and depletion of water resources.