The Forgotten South Caucasus: Where Oil and Water Mix
A “New Great Game” of Geopolitical Control Surfaces in Russia’s Old Backyard
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A “New Great Game” of Geopolitical Control Surfaces in Russia’s Old Backyard
After two decades, scientists in Nepal are on the ground for in-the-field Himalaya studies.
Plastic remains the material of choice for bottled water, but corporations using it face increasing criticism from consumers concerned about environmental impacts. In the rush to keep their market on the bottle, so to speak, Pepsi plans to reduce the amount of plastic used by 20 percent, reports the Wall Street Journal. Pepsi also plans […]
SACRAMENTO – The Nestle company on Monday said it is significantly scaling back plans in Northern California to build what would have been the country’s largest water bottling plant. The announcement by Nestle Waters North America comes after years of opposition by environmentalists and a group of residents in the rural town of McCloud. Read […]
MCCLOUD, CALIFORNIA — Nestle’s plans to build a water bottling facility that will pump up to 521 million gallons of water a year from the mountainside springs above this small Northern California town is encountering growing opposition from scientists, fishermen, conservationists and some members of the community. The area desperately needs an economic boost and […]
THE FINANCIAL — ON March 5-6, the United Nations Global Compact, in partnership with the Pacific Institute, convened the inaugural working conference of the CEO Water Mandate. The CEO Water Mandate was launched by the UN Secretary-General to get the heads of major companies and organizations involved in finding solutions to the emerging global crisis […]
“One of the problems that we face is that climate change is on the ascendant, and people are not always making the links to water as they perhaps should. I think that’s coming and over the next two to three years water will progressively build into a really central component of the Davos agenda.” — […]
“One of the problems that we face is that climate change is on the ascendant, and people are not always making the links to water as they perhaps should. I think that’s coming and over the next two to three years water will progressively build into a really central component of the Davos agenda.” — […]
Davos, Switzerland (23 January 2008) – (WEF press release) Global crises from escalating demand for fresh water and inadequate supply are as urgent as efforts to tackle climate change – yet are more vexing and complicated, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2008 heard today. A panel including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told international business […]
The annual World Economic Forum kicks off Wednesday in Davos, and already there’s a buzz building about this year’s emerging focus on the global freshwater crisis. The Forum hosts seven sessions on water, from market mechanisms for pricing to the tragic health consequences of poor sanitation and dirty water. (Note: I’ll be reporting all week from Davos.)
In a prelude to the Forum, Klaus Schwab, its chairman, and Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, chairman of Nestle, today published a compelling op-ed argument for rapid response and a call for “an unprecedented, high-impact public-private coalition to find ways to manage our future water needs before the crisis hits.”
(See the full op-ed below.)
It will be interesting to monitor the outcomes. As my friend and colleague Peter Gleick notes, we can solve many of today’s water problems. “We know how,” he says. “It’s just not clear that we’re going to make the commitment.”
Will this be a week of commitments? Schwab and his colleagues seem determined to take the discussions to a higher level than before. Stay tuned.
Water sessions at the forum this year include:
Time is Running Out for Water
Nearly one-third of the world’s population is expected to be living in regions facing severe water scarcity by 2025. What should be done now to ensure that water scarcity does not become a source of international conflict and human misery?
The True Value of Water
Water demand has more than tripled over the last half century, but its management appears immune to traditional market mechanisms. What is the most effective way to allocate water between industry,
Who is Managing Your Supply of Water
40% of Fortune 1,000 companies agree that the impact of a water shortage would be severe, but only 17% admit to being prepared for such a crisis. How should firms approach their future operations to ensure that they are not affected by water degradation, scarcity, storms or flooding?
Water – Are We Being Bio-Foolish
Securing a Watertight Future
Rapid urbanization, industrialization, changing diets and climate change are aggravating the effects of our unsustainable water use. For many businesses, significant disruptions are already caused by water insecurity. What innovative strategies can help us manage the need for water more effectively?
Death, Disease and Dirty Water
There is a well-established link between dirty water and disease. The effects of climate change and natural resource degradation on local ecosystems are further shaping the patterns of waterborne infectious disease. What is the emerging scientific consensus on the challenges ahead? What technologies and innovations can business provide to help support public health programmes?
Welcom
There will be a special Welcom session for participants to share their talents and creativity in solving the crisis, with a focus on the roles of journalism, design and communications. More on this later. (Disclosure: I’ve been involved in visioning and organizing this session.)
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