Climate change and economic growth are the two biggest challenges facing the world in 2023. It is the conceit of this year’s Global Water Summit that water holds the key to both. Investment in water technology and infrastructure is at the heart of our response to climate, while at the same time this investment opens the way to new directions for economic growth. It is an inspirational opportunity for our industry, and we are inviting you to help shape it in Berlin on May 8th-10th.
This year’s summit will comprise of three plenary sessions, and five parallel break out sessions addressing the following themes:
This is an important moment in the utility sector. Higher interest rates and wage inflation are putting financial pressure on the utilities as never before, at the same time the imperative of responding to climate change is forcing utility leaders to think creatively as never before. What are the big ideas that will shape the future of the utility sector, and how can they help drive the changes needed to meet urgent SDG6 goals?
GWI Project Tracker is the water industry’s leading project tracking tool, amassing over 1,300 live projects. But some opportunities are far more expansive: GWI Spotlights looks at just these opportunities, the generational changes set to reshape the entire sector. From countrywide desalination plans to the staggering 2 million m3/d of water required by 2030 to fuel global green hydrogen goals, what do those leading the world’s biggest projects want from the international water industry?
We’ve got so much to talk about. Methane, scope three emissions, and finance are all challenges that we need to turn into opportunities. Methane is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, but it is also the largest opportunity for renewable energy production. Scope three emissions targets put new pressures on the supply chain, but they can also be used to redefine value for both suppliers and utility customers. Finance is a problem in terms of the additional investment required, but climate could also hold the key to unlocking much larger volumes of low cost finance for the water sector.
Are we ready for explosive growth in demand for unconventional water resources outside the GCC region? Meeting it is going to involve a much higher level of involvement from the development finance institutions, better downstream efficiency, improved supply chain risk management and smarter technologies that can lower the cost of water even as higher interest rates increase the cost of capital. We will be bringing together the policy makers, financiers, off-takers, contractors and technologists to make sure that our industry delivers.
With all the hardships industrial water users are facing – climate-related risks, tightening regulatory controls, mounting costs and pressure to focus more on ESG, to name a few – corporate leaders are placing greater emphasis on resilience. But what exactly does resilience entail when it comes to industrial water management, and how must priorities evolve to ensure business continuity? Hear from leaders across a range of key industries about the outside-the-box thinking that is needed to balance economic growth and water stewardship ambitions in this challenging environment.