The wise management of South Africa’s water resources is one of the most decisive factors that will affect the social and economic development of our country and the wellbeing of all our people, over the next 20 years. This challenge has brought together South Africa’s leading financial investment company and South Africa’s leading environmental NGO to create the WWF Sanlam Living Waters Partnership. WWF and Sanlam share a common vision that wealth and human wellbeing are built through the wise and rational management of resources and long term investments that benefit present and future generations.

It’s conservatively estimated that demand for freshwater will exceed availability by 2025. This will lead to massive social, ecological and economic damage. Our oceans and coast are also a place of exceptional economic, cultural and spiritual value. Goods and services provided by these ecosystems amount to around 35% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and some of our poorest communities are reliant on the oceans as an important source of protein. However, burgeoning populations and economic growth is putting ever increasing pressure on these diminishing water resources and ecosystems.

While the WWF Sanlam Living Waters Partnership is striving to overcome these challenges they cannot be met by any one group working on its own. This can only be reached by combining the power of public opinion, the economic drive of the private sector and regulatory framework of the government.