Much about water is being discussed in Stockholm this week. It is all to easy to take our water supply for granted and so to help put us into a bigger context.....
Global leaders convening August 22nd at the opening session of the 2011 World Water Week in Stockholm called for increased investments in disaster-resilient infrastructure and smarter water management to avoid droughts, floods and pollution from further threatening the food, energy, and water security in a rapidly urbanising world.
An excerpt from the Opening speech, World Water Week August 22nd 2011, Stockholm
By Mr. Anders Berntell, Executive Director, SIWI.
The Water, Food and Energy nexus is something that needs more attention, given the obvious interlinkages, but also the huge potential for using the resources more efficiently, finding the synergies. Securing water, energy and food is central to alleviating poverty and creating a robust and climate resilient, green economy. Population growth and rapidly increasing economic activity are expected to increase the demand for energy and food and creating unsustainable pressure on water resources. By 2030 in a business as usual scenario, humanity’s demand for water is predicted to outstrip supply by as much as 40 per cent, which would place water, energy and food security at risk, hamper economic development, lead to social and geopolitical tensions and cause irreparable environmental damage in mature and developing economies alike.
The political leadership at local, national, regional and global level must take concerted action to manage water, energy and food more efficiently, otherwise water shortages will choke emerging economies and inhibit growth in developing economies, keeping billions of people trapped in poverty and destroy ecosystems.
The whole speech can be listened to and viewed here:
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