ZURICH, Switzerland, Feb. 10, 2009 -- Blue, Green and Gold -- The future of Water, Finance and Sustainability is being held in Zurich Switzerland on 27th and 28th April 2009. This year, the event will be building on the themes of its successful conference in London last April and delivering something that directly focuses on the issues facing us today. In these times of economic uncertainty, water offers a dependability which has disappeared from the rest of the economy. But the water business still needs capital and the global financial crisis has affected the private and public sectors alike. The conference will be looking at what this means for the industry and what is the way ahead. The questions to be addressed include:
• What new models are evolving for financing water projects?
• How does the dependability of water make a difference in a world of volatility?
• What is the role of desalination in the future of the water sector?
• Can new technologies make a difference?
• Where can we invest to make the most of the new situation?
• Is it possible to pursue our water needs and protect the environment?
>> More information on the conference
>> Register by Feb. 20 to save $400
The registration fee also includes a seat at the prestigious Global Water Awards dinner on the evening of 27th April, featuring Al Gore as the guest speaker. The dinner celebrates the best projects, deals and people who have made a real difference to the water industry over the last 12 months.
Keynote speakers this year are at the forefront of modern thinking on water issues, and have the ability to reframe the dialogues we all have about water topics. They will be speaking on the future of water and they will set the agenda and lay down the challenges for the year to come:
Dr Ian Goldin: Water and the future
Formerly Vice President of the World Bank, and now Director of the James Martin 21st Century School at the University of Oxford, Dr Goldin is one of the world's leading economists - and futurologists. One the basis of this dual expertise he will give his insight into the outlook for the world, and for water.
Professor Robert Glennon: Unquenchable: America's water crisis
Around the world more than a billion people are dependent on non-renewable ground water resources. It is an unsustainable situation and one which goes to the heart of the global water crisis. Professor Glennon, Professor of Law and Public Policy at the University of Arizona and water advisor to the Saudi government, uncovers the problem from an American perspective, and outlines the lessons for the rest of the world.
Professor Michael Braungart: The End of Wastewater
Professor Braungart's book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, is changing the way businesses look at waste. Here he applies the theory to banishing the idea of wastewater for good.
Session speakers are also industry leaders and experts and include:
• Shankar Krisnamoorthy - CEO, GDF Suez Energy, MENA
• Julian Knight - Director, Standard Chartered Bank
• Susan Trousdale - Project Director and Environment & Approvals Manager, Sydney Water Desalination Project
• Dr Helge Daebel - Water Technology Specialist, Emerald Ventures
• GG Pique - President and CEO, Energy Recovery Inc.
Visit www.watermeetsmoney.com/reg to take advantage of specially arranged hotel booking discounts.
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