The future

As the HSBC Water Programmes comes to an end, Earthwatch will build on the important work delivered through our partnership with the bank. We will focus on Climate-Proof Cities, a programme originally carried out together with HSBC to study how urban green spaces and waterbodies can help cities adapt to climate change. These ‘nature-based solutions’ (for example, urban trees, green roofs and green spaces such as parks) also provide other powerful benefits such as promoting biodiversity, storing carbon and improving human health. Earthwatch aims to inform an integrated approach to city planning and management, building an understanding of the interdependencies between decisions on green and grey infrastructure, social cohesion and well-being, and citizen participation and responsibility.

Our programme aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which recognise the importance of making cities more resilient in the face of growing environmental challenges, such as flooding, pollution and heat stress. Our climate-proof cities programme aligns with goal 3: good health and well-being, goal 11: make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, goal 13: take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts and goal 17: partnerships for the goals.

The HSBC Water Programme's far-reaching, life-changing impact has provided 1.72 million people with clean water and over 2.7 million with sanitation, accelerating change in six focus countries – Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Ghana and Nigeria. For the second phase of the HSBC Water Programme, from 2017-19, WaterAid has accelerated change for the poorest communities in our six focus countries in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. Building on the success of the two phases of the HSBC Water Programme, in 2017 HSBC and WaterAid launched a new three year project to deliver essential water and sanitation services in apparel factories and nearby communities in Bangladesh and India. As well as improving living and working conditions, this funding is enabling WaterAid to pilot test metrics as part of the wider Business Case for WASH project, which aims to provide evidence of the business benefits and financial value of WASH interventions. As a leading global trade bank, HSBC recognises its unique role in supporting a shift to sustainability in global supply chains, which this project will support. Together, HSBC and WaterAid continue to drive action towards a shared ambition of a sustainable future – focusing on the sustainability of global supply chains in the apparel sector and the well-being of workers.

Since 1981, WaterAid has reached over 25 million people all over the world with clean water and decent toilets. But the scale of the global water crisis is simply too big for one charity. 844 million people still don’t have clean water close to home, and 2.3 billion don’t have a decent toilet. We need the political will and force of Governments to tackle the crisis, which is why we campaigned (successfully!) for the United Nations to adopt Goal 6. Goal 6 is all about ending the global water crisis, and reaching everyone with clean water, sanitation and hygiene. Without those essentials, none of the other goals can be achieved. In order to achieve the 2030 deadline, we're working with Governments at all levels to develop plans and policies that will enable them to reach everyone with water and sanitation.

We’ve been working with HSBC since 2002. In 2012, we launched the HSBC Water Programme, in partnership with WaterAid and Earthwatch. Together, we’re working with local authorities, businesses and communities to transform the way water is managed in some of the world’s most important river basins. The programme focuses on five priority freshwater places – the Yangtze, Ganges and Mekong in Asia, the Mara in Africa, and the Pantanal in South America. Collectively, these basins are home to nearly one billion people as well as iconic and endangered species. From tackling erosion and pollution to improving water efficiency and promoting sustainable farming and fishing, we’ve helped introduce new practices and policies to protect rivers and bring clean water to millions of people.

The SDGs are a big step forward for the environment. They recognise that we all depend on the planet’s natural resources – its forests, rivers, oceans and land – for our social and economic wellbeing. Equally, they recognise that our ability to use the planet’s resources wisely depends upon creating a fair, sustainable and prosperous society, and decoupling our economies from fossil fuels and environmental damage. If the global community makes good on its promises, by 2030 we will live in a world that has: halted the loss of biodiversity and saved threatened species from extinction ended deforestation put a stop to poaching and trafficking of protected species ended overfishing and significantly reduced the pollution of our oceans created an economy that grows without damaging the environment It’s now up to us all – governments, charities, businesses, and most of all citizens – to work together to ensure that these commitments become a reality. An ambitious new approach to saving the planet The SDGs are different from anything that has come before them – they're fairer, smarter, and more inclusive. By the people, for the people: the SDGs are the product of three years of discussions between governments from all countries and the largest public consultation in UN history.

In 2020, we will launch our new global initiative to address climate change in collaboration with charities and other industry partners.

HSBC recognises its responsibility to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a globally agreed framework to help protect the planet, end poverty and ensure peace and prosperity, and consist of 17 goals and 169 targets to be achieved by 2030. We will continue to play our part in achieving the SDGs through our work on our three sustainability priorities, our financing and investments, and the way we do business.