Overview Carbon Water Waste Ecosystems Appendix 32 Our approach The context According to the World Bank, the reduction in Our progress to date Overview freshwater availability due primarily to climate change, >66% coupled with increased demand, could reduce water Climate change and availability in cities by more than 66 percent by 2050. increased demand could Getting ahead of the world’s imminent water crisis will reduce water availability require a reduction in the amount of water used to in cities by more than operate economies and societies while ensuring there 66 percent by 2050. is sufficient and clean water for all. This will require a transformation in the way water data is collected and managed, the way we build solutions and approaches to water, and a concerted effort for all organizations to properly account for and balance their water use. Microsoft has taken steps to reduce the water consumption in our datacenters and buildings over the past decade. With the latest scientific data on water scarcity in mind, we expanded our efforts in 2020, setting a new commitment to be water positive by 2030. Co-founded the Water We will reduce the water intensity Find out Resilience Coalition. of our direct operations, replenish more here 1.5M in water-stressed regions where Launched water accessibility work to $10M help provide 1.5 million people access we work, and enable access to 1.5 to safe drinking water and sanitation. million people—becoming water Invested $10 million in the Emerald positive by 2030. Technology Ventures’ Global Water Impact Fund to support innovative technologies for water conservation, 7X access, and quality. Increased our replenishment project portfolio by nearly 700 percent from FY19. To date, we have invested in nearly 20 replenishment projects in six states and two countries through partnerships with organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Trout Ensuring there is sufficient and clean water for all. Unlimited, and Ducks Unlimited.