More than 600 representatives from government agencies, research institutions, nonprofit groups and the private sector are gathering at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in the Philippines starting Oct. 11 in a bid to find solutions to Asia’s growing water crisis.
The international conference, dubbed “Water: Crisis and Choices – ADB and Partners Conference 2010,” will run through Oct. 15. Participants are expected to discuss the region’s most pressing water-related issues and attempt to draft ways on how to avert the water crisis that is threatening Asia’s environmental sustainability and economic growth.
“Asia’s water world has gone past its tipping point. The challenge now is to urgently halt, if not reverse, the decline in freshwater availability,” Arjun Thapan, ADB’s special senior adviser for infrastructure and water, said as quoted in a news release. “Asia needs to aggressively adopt measures that dramatically improve water use efficiencies and safeguard the region’s food and energy security.”
ADB is expected to present its draft Water Operational Framework of the years 2011-2020. The framework outlines the regional development bank’s prospective work in the water sector, particularly on increasing water use efficiency, enhancing innovation and science, and promoting waste water reuse and management.
Ahead of the conference, ADB has launched its second video competition, following the success of its first contest which focused on climate change. The current competition aims to raise awareness regarding the region’s water-related issues through short films.
>> ADB Launches Video Contest to Raise Water Crisis Awareness
