Water Experts Prep for UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen
Experts at an international water and energy conference in Copenhagen this week hope to pool their resources and hone their message for the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The three-day water and energy conference is being hosted by the International Water Association (IWA) and ends today. The London-based non-profit organization brings together global water professionals to develop effective and sustainable approaches of water management.
Conference objectives include sharing information on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption in the water sector, reducing pressure on water resources from the energy sector, and exploring potential areas of cooperation between the two sectors.
Conference organizers aim to strengthen and further develop professional relations between the two sectors. They also hope to define and refine messages from the water utility sector for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December.
The Copenhagen conference has been organized by the Danish National Committee for International Water Association in cooperation with IWA’s Specialist Group on Climate Change.
Sources: The International Water Association, IWA Water & Energy 2009
I find the fresh water shortage issue caused by global warming , melting glaciers , overuse of water resources and the many other topics discussed
interesting.
What I see a lack of is developing methodology to adapt to our changing global enviroment and applying all measures that can be beneficial to maintaining our fresh water resources.
One issue in particular I find interesting is the melting glaciers, I live in the Pacific Northwest which is glacier country. If glaciers did not melt my home would be under two miles of ice. Hardly a habital place for my family and friends.
The nature of our planet since the last ice age has been the melting of ice which has opened up vast areas for agriculture of which without the melting humanity would be at a different level of existance than it is today.
It is clear the planet is stressed by the success of humanities growth something the financial gurus could only dream about in comparison to the growth of the global economy. And in fact the two are tied together as droughts and lack of resources have a direct impact on our society today , driving commodity prices higher leading to economic imbalances eventually creating economic calamity of some kind and today we in fact have learned a new phrase.
“The Great Recession”
This has lead to the reduced consumption of resources for present and near future. Of coarse the economists are busy crafting new methods in which to propel the global economy forward hoping to again increase the rate of consumption of our natural resources in the name of growth and profits.
I wonder, why does our economy need growth and increased consumption of our resources, this is not inthe best interest of humanity is it not ? New idea,
let’s apply as humanity methodology that applies the rules of sustainablitiy.
How about that Mr. Fed Chairman Bernake? You to Mr. President Obama and let not us forget our Treasury Secretary .
I wonder if it would not be better to take this opportunity and forever change the
consumption pattern of humanity and adapt to the new enviroment we as a global community are faced with today?
Myself I direct a company that will begin transporting fresh water by sea to the Middle East to name one destination that is in terrible need of fresh water.
The long term vision is to power the ships with small nuclear reactors that will run for ten years on one fueling. Our company intends to provide fresh water to Melbourne Australia at a lower cost than converting sea water to fresh.
We are researching better ways to extract the fresh water from the sea while preventing the discharge of a heavy salt slurry back to the sea which if left unchecked will kill all sea life at the point of discharge.
Glaciers have been melting since the last ice age ended and let us be thankful for that. Why is it such a surprise that the glaciers are melting when in fact they have been melting for a very long time now.
Humanity has the full capability to adapt to our ever changing planet . While we as a group of people cry out about the global climate change we have made half measures to assist our fellow human beings that have been perishing from drought , lack of food and water born illness for well over a Century.
Death due to climate change has been common place for some time now, however modern humanity is now feeling the impact of these issues and have started crying out for the ice burg that modern society has been established upon is melting away from beneath us. Just like the photo of that polar bear drifting far out at sea appearing to be in a hopless state .
So I say let humanity take advantage of the Great Recession and adapt,remember the poor that have suffered for decades for lack
of shelter, safe drinking water and food. Lets come together as a global community and make life sustainable for all of humanity , not just mainstreet.
Sincerely
Michael Devine