Water experts head for Stockholm

Thousands of water experts from around the world will gather in Sweden next week to put global issues such as sanitation, scarce water resources and climate change under the microscope.


The theme for the 2008 World Water Week conference, which kicks off in Stockholm on Sunday, will be sanitation.

It follows the publication last month of a joint report from the World Health Organisation and children’s fund UNICEF that warned that more than 2.5bn people around the world do not have proper access to sanitation.

More than 40 of the conference sessions will explore sanitation and hygiene during the week, while Wednesday and Thursday will be Water and Climate Days.

Water issues in Asia will be in the spotlight on Tuesday. Water availability on the continent is currently 15-30% of what it was in the 1950s while its industry, agriculture, economy and population continues to grow.

Representatives of business, governments, NGOs, training institutes and United Nations agencies are among the delegates expected to participate.

Host organisation, the Stockholm International Water Institute said a number of key reports will be released during the week.

The Stockholm Water Prize, the Stockholm Industry Water Award and a host of other awards will also be handed out.

Videos and other highlights from the 2008 World Water Week will be available to view next week on edieTV.

Kate Martin

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