Water scarcity is a global issue, but its effects are also being felt in wealthier industrialised countries. Over 40m citizens in Europe do not have access to safe drinking water, and 85m lack basic sanitation. More than half of the EU’s urban water pollution goes untreated, and the problems posed by both floods and drought are on the rise. With good water governance acknowledged to be an important key to sustained economic development, how effective are national, regional and EU-level water policy initiatives? Is Europe taking the steps needed to ensure adequate and clean water supplies? How can we increase and develop cooperation and exchange between governments (central and local), knowledge institutes, private companies, non-governmental organisations, the financial sector and other civil society groups, both nationally and internationally?
Introductory remarks by Cyril Roger-Lacan , Executive Vice-President and Member of the Executive Board, Veolia Water

Moderated by Giles Merritt , Secretary General, Friends of Europe.

Within a decade the world’s wealthy nations are due to deliver on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). In terms of water that means halving by 2015 the proportion of the world’s population now denied access to safe and affordable water supplies and to sanitation. However, as 1.1bn people today lack safe water and 2.6bn lack adequate sanitation, the aim of the MDGs to ensure that by 2025 everyone around the world will have these amenities looks increasingly unattainable. How fundamental is water policy to the political and economic stability of developing countries, and is it getting the attention it deserves? Can water failures threaten global development strategies? What has been the impact to date of the European Union’s Water Initiative, and its €1bn Water Facility? How can we innovate and complement water aid efforts with new mechanisms which might address planning, governance, implementation, financing, technology and infrastructure solutions?

Moderated by Friedrich Barth , Environment Director, Institute for Organisational Communication (IFOK) and Vice-Chairman, European Water Partnership.

Climate change, population growth and the impact of industrialisation on societies with fragile infrastructure are combining to aggravate the global water crisis. Europe has extensive knowledge, and experience of developing solutions in the field of water, but the fragmented character of the European water sector strongly limits its potential. How can we build and strengthen communication between the different stakeholders on a national and international level? How can technology development and dissemination be improved to exploit this capacity? What else should policy makers be doing to encourage industry research into new methods of water supply, waste monitoring and treatment and wastewater management? How can we foster technical, institutional and financial innovation?
Introductory remarks by Tom Vereijken , Chairman, European Water Partnership (EWP) and President, European Committee of Environmental Technology Suppliers Associations (EUCETSA)

Moderated by James M. Dorsey , Foreign Correspondent and Water Specialist, Wall Street Journal.