Professor John Briscoe
Global leaders are gathering in Stockholm, Sweden, this week for the twenty-fourth annual World Water Week, at which South African native Professor John Briscoe will on Thursday be awarded the Stockholm Water Prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a ceremony in Stockholm City Hall.
Describing water as a platform for growth during a conference address, Briscoe said developing countries faced great challenges around the scarcity of this precious commodity.
“[Developing States] have yet to mobilise these resources. There is no eternal solution [to the water crisis], neither here nor there; instead, there is a cycle of challenges and responses,” he noted.
Addressing the opening session, World Water Week organiser Stockholm International Water Institute executive director Torgny Holmgren described global water-related challenges as “immense”.
“With the global demand for water projected to grow by 55% between 2000 and 2050, and electricity demand expected to increase by 50% in the next two decades, there is an urgent need for a closer relationship between the energy and water communities if we are to provide solutions for all people to prosper,” he urged.
World Water Week would see delegates discuss ongoing and future work and collaboration between the energy and water communities during over 100 seminars, workshops and events throughout the week.