Utility Power & Water Robots, Electric Power & Water Leaders magazine, Nov2019

“Together with the Paris Climate
Agreement, implementation of
the 17 Sustainable Development
Goals represents the best chance
our species has to achieve a
sustainable way of life on
Planet Earth before it is too late”,
he added.
Sweden’s Minister for
Environment, Karolina Skog
said that “Sustainable and
efficient management of our
water and wastewater […] has a
profound effect on all aspects of
human life; economic growth,
sustainable development,
sustainable city planning,
circular thinking in industry and
in production, energy saving,
good quality of our water and,
last but not least, it is crucial for
health and for a sustainable
environment.”
Astronaut and Member of
Sweden’s Royal Academy of
Science, Christer Fuglesang
described the intricate water
reuse systems that are necessary
during space missions, enabling
food to be grown on board, and
ensuring a drinking water
supply – both helping to inform
research, and optimize methods
for increased water use efficiency
on earth.
Another central aspect of
efficient water use, is to use
less. In his welcoming speech
Holmgren pointed out that it will
be challenging but necessary to
change large-scale water
consumption patterns:
“The Week’s theme, Water and
waste: Reduce and reuse, really
touches the very core of our daily
lives. To reduce, some drastic
changes will be necessary –
especially by the main water
users, including industries,
energy producers and the
agriculture sector.”
He added that changes are also
needed in how we think about
reuse of water: “I think that it is
very important to try and change
the mind-set around waste.
Rather than presenting us with
a problem, we can view waste as
an asset also becoming a business
opportunity.”
Stephen McCaffrey, 2017
Stockholm Water Prize Laureate
and a Professor in water
law, spoke of the need for
water cooperation and water
diplomacy. He told participants
that although the ingredients for
potential water conflicts exist,
such as higher population
pressure, climate change, and
much of the world’s fresh water
being shared by two or more
countries, studies show that
water sharing is much more
likely to lead to cooperation than
conflict.
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