The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) and PLOS Water have announced a collaboration to publish a collection of research and policy-focused articles addressing global water challenges. Titled “A New Era for Water: Policy-Relevant Research for Solutions,” the collection will examine the scientific, governance, and policy approaches needed to support water security and resilience amid what UNU-INWEH describes as an era of Global Water Bankruptcy.
The initiative aims to strengthen connections between scientific research, policymaking, and practical responses to water-related challenges ahead of major international events, including the 2026 United Nations (UN) Water Conference and 2028 United Nations (UN) Water Conferences. The collection will feature invited opinion and essay articles, along with research papers addressing key themes relevant to the conferences and broader water policy discussions.
PLOS Water is accepting submissions of primary research articles for the collection, particularly studies with the potential to inform policy and practical interventions. Narrative commentary contributions are by invitation, although researchers interested in proposing such articles can contact the journal's executive editor, Guillaume Wright.
The collaboration builds on the UNU-INWEH report “Global Water Bankruptcy: Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era,” which calls for science-based adaptation to changing water conditions. The partners aim to bring together research that identifies urgent challenges, examines existing approaches, and proposes solutions relevant to policymakers across disciplines and sectors.
The initiative comes ahead of several international events focused on sustainable development and water management. In addition to the 2026 and 2028 UN Water Conferences, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit and the World Water Forum are scheduled for 2027. The year 2028 will also mark the conclusion of the UN Water Action Decade.
The collection is intended to complement the UN Water Conference Academic Hub, a UN-Water initiative co-led by the United Nations University, UNESCO, and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The initiative also supports progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which calls for clean water and sanitation for all. The organizations emphasize that achieving this goal requires coordinated efforts across scientific, political, financial, and public sectors, as well as collaboration among communities and disciplines.
Research article submissions can be made directly through the PLOS Water submission portal. Authors should enter “A New Era for Water” in the collection field and mention the collection in their cover letter. Prior approval is not required for research articles. Researchers wishing to propose invited-style commentary pieces should contact the journal's executive editor, Guillaume Wright, before submitting a proposal.
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