Welcome to Global Water Summit

Water risk is the most important challenge the global economy will face over the next decade 

Consider the following:

• The impact of climate change is being felt first through the world’s water systems

• As demand for energy, food, fibre, and mineral resources increases, so competition for water resources rises exponentially

• The water infrastructure deficit is widening rapidly as a result of accelerated urbanisation and weakening public finances

What this means is that each of us, over the next decade, will experience a water related event: a shortage, a flood, an infrastructure failure, an interruption to business, an economic disruption - which will have a bigger impact on our lives than we have ever experienced before. The challenge the world faces is to minimise the impact of these events through better water risk management.

On 22nd and 23rd April 2013 water leaders from around the world will be meeting in Seville to address this challenge. It is a problem which can only be solved by bringing together all of the interested parties:

• Water ministers and utility chief executives who take responsibility for water infrastructure 

• Business leaders who rely on water to maintain their production

• Investors who are concerned about the impact of water risk on their portfolios

• Engineers and water technologists who can provide the solutions

This is the nexus of ideas and interests that will make the difference. It creates a forum where the business water users can make the economic case for infrastructure investment to the political leaders, who in turn can discuss the funding challenge with investors. who in turn can meet the technology providers, who need capital in order to develop the solutions.

Come and be part of the conversation that will make the difference.