Indicator 6.4.1 - Change in water use efficiency over time
Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at national level is the sum of the efficiencies in the major economic sectors weighted according to the proportion of water withdrawn by each sector over the total withdrawals. The indicator measures changes in WUE and has been designed to address the economic component of SDG Target 6.4.
Target 6.4
By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
Indicator 6.4.1: Progress Assessment
Impact
This indicator will improve knowledge on the efficiency and sustainability of water usage. Together with indicator 6.4.2, it will provide vital information to ensure that water resources support the world's ecosystems and continue to be available for future generations.
Key results
After a steady and gradual increase from 2015 to 2019, water-use efficiency experienced a decline from 2019 to 2020 worldwide
Water use efficiency (WUE) rose from USD 17.4/m3 in 2015 to USD 18.9/m3 in 2020 worldwide, which represents an efficiency increase of 9 percent. However, this is a slight decline from the previous year, when WUE peaked at 19.4 percent. In 2020, WUE estimates ranged from below USD 3/m3 in economies that depend largely on agriculture to over USD 50/m3 in highly industrialized, service-based economies. This suggests that a country’s economic structure has a direct link to its overall water use efficiency levels. Around 57 percent of countries presented a water use efficiency equivalent to USD 20/m3 or less in 2020, compared to 58 percent in 2015. However, global values hide regional differences. Central and Southern Asia, Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia and Oceania show the highest growth rates in WUE from 2015 to 2020, while Latin America and the Caribbean shows a decrease.
Highlights
![](https://www.fao.org/images/sdgindicatorslibraries/default-album/tracking-video_2022.png?sfvrsn=479648ab_5)
Video
Tracking progress on food and agriculture related SDG indicators 2022
While the world was already off track from meeting
![](https://www.fao.org/images/sdgindicatorslibraries/default-album/tracking-video_2022.png?sfvrsn=479648ab_5)
Video
Tracking progress on food and agriculture related SDG indicators 2022
While the world was already off track from meeting
Elearning
![SDG_Indicator-6.4.1_Change-in-water-use-efficiency-over-time](/images/sdgindicatorslibraries/default-album/sdg_indicator-6.4.1_change-in-water-use-efficiency-over-time.tmb-th600x400.jpg?Culture=en&sfvrsn=5b9f32a5_1)
SDG Indicator 6.4.1 - Change in water-use efficiency over time
01/11/2021
The course provides guidance on the rationale and the main characteristics of
Multimedia
Tracking progress on food and agriculture-related SDG indicators (2022)
Tracking progress on food and agriculture-related SDG indicators offers detailed analyses and trends on selected indicators for which FAO is a custodian or contributing agency or have key implications for food and agriculture across eight SDGs (1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14 and 15), highlighting areas of progress and areas where further effort is needed.
01/09/2022
Capacity development
![](https://www.fao.org/images/sdgindicatorslibraries/default-album/tracking-video_2022.png?sfvrsn=479648ab_5)
Video
Tracking progress on food and agriculture related SDG indicators 2022
While the world was already off track from meeting
Methodology
- Metadata
- Step-by-Step Monitoring Methodology
- Change in water-use efficiency over time: Analysis and interpretation of preliminary results in key regions and countries
- Guidelines for the calculation of the agriculture water use efficiency for global reporting
Tier: I
Data
- SDG Indicator Global Database
- AQUASTAT | Global Information System on Water and Agriculture
- FAOSTAT - SDG Indicators
Data collection
Related publications
- Progress on change in water-use efficiency. Global status and acceleration needs for SDG indicator 6.4.1
- Progress on Water-use Efficiency Global baseline for SDG indicator 6.4.1