The Business of Water

Conclusion: water is rising rapidly on the business agenda

I cannot resist sharing some of our reflections on the World Water Week. First of all, meet the other members of the WBCSD water team, Anne-Leonore Boffi, Violaine Berger and Ankit Patel. Together we covered sessions, managed the booth, organized side events, interacted with participants, celebrated the launch of our tools, met with partner organizations and members and had some fun in the evenings when there was time left for it. Without them it would have been an impossible to have had a successful water week.

This is the last day of the World Water Week, the skies are blue, providing the participants with a warm goodbye.

Urban Water was the theme of this week, attracting several mayors from all over the world to participate in the discussions.

Being an elected city official is not an easy task and requires a lot of dedication, integrity, energy and a desire to make cities a better place for all its inhabitants, rich or poor. I could find these attributes with Jennifer Hostermann, Mayor of the City of Pleasanton USA, panelist in the Mayors Panel. If she ever decides to run for congress, convince the electorate that her increase in the water services rates was a good thing and win, the US congress will be a better place.

How to move business forward through the water, food and energy security nexus

One of the Stockholm Water Week’s unique features is the various awards it presents for outstanding performance. Tonight the Stockholm Water Prize will go to Stephen Carpenter at the beautiful Town Hall. I hope it will not rain and that we will enjoy the superb setting of this historical place.

The Junior Water Prize stimulates innovation by young people in the field of water. The 2011 winner is a young American who developed a low cost, potable method to test water quality, using mobile phones. Great stuff.

Making a mark at World Water Week: WBCSD sessions & new launches

The weather seems to be recurring theme of this blog. The team back in Geneva is suffering from extreme warm weather and are jealous of my air-conditioned environment in Stockholm.

Meeting people from different backgrounds is one of the great aspects of the Water Week. I met, for example, Rolf Stahlhoven (www.waterisright.org), co-lead of the double platinum band Söhne Mannheims, creator of the song Water is life, water is right and an UN Habitat water ambassador. He will tour the world next year with an all star band to advocate the right to water. Amazing reach he has and a life changing tale to tell….. I am looking forward to meeting him again.   

Tackling sanitation and water in urban slums

The sun has returned to Stockholm, but that is of limited use to me now as I am busy with meetings all day and will not leave the Stockholm Conference Centre until dark.

The opening session started with an inspiring act with young people dressed in traditional dress dancing hip-hop. I like this fusion of old and new, young and old, something what could be one of the drivers for responsible water management.

From Stockholm World Water Week

It was wet and dark when we arrived, but meeting up with some old water week and world water forum friends cheered me up. Then, down to work.

Our WBCSD booth looks good. We are promoting the customization of our Global Water Tool for the Oil and Gas, and the Utility sectors and there is a already lot of interest. They will be launched tomorrow at our stand (EH05:41) at 18.00. All are invited.