Newcastle University

THE CHALLENGE OF SUSTAINABLE WATER FUTURES 

14th July 2011, 9am-5pm 

Venue - The Alec Campbell Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor Bedson Building West (Bedson Building G.04, Lecture Theatre 1 - University map ref: 20,21), Newcastle University (Campus map) 

 Workshop Programme

Registration required for this event. Please complete the online Registration Form

• Is there enough water for everyone in the planet?
• Can we afford to recognize that access to essential water services is a public good or even a human right?
• Should water be treated primarily as a commodity?
• What is the value of water?
• Is it possible to universalize the access to water and sanitation services in poor countries?
• Do we have the technological means to reverse the current world water crisis?
• Is it possible to simultaneously achieve the goals of sustainability and social justice in relation to water?
• Are we facing a real possibility of international water wars?
• Should we care?

These and other pressing questions will be the object of a public event organized by the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology and the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability (NIRES) at Newcastle University as part of the ongoing activities of the research networks GOBACIT and WATERLAT. Leading experts and scientists from the UK, Brazil, Finland, France, Mexico, Palestine, Spain, among other countries, will meet to discuss the main challenges and opportunities facing the international community in relation to the government and management of water worldwide.

These scholars strongly believe that the magnitude of the challenges that we face requires the adoption of trans-disciplinary approaches that overcome rigid disciplinary and policy boundaries and bring together expertise from across the social, natural and technical sciences, and that also promotes the participation of non academics and practitioners.

The event will feature keynote speakers in round tables, with an opportunity for questions and discussion with the audience.

In the evening we will screen the film One Water, followed by a roundtable with discussion. This part of the programme is jointly organized with Cinema Politica Newcastle, and will take place at the Culture Lab, Newcastle University, Grand Assembly Rooms, King's Walk. (see campus map) Culture Lab is number 7 on the map.

Please email Newcastle@cinemapolitica.org to register for the film showing of One water.

This event is part of a series of activities taking place throughout 2011 to celebrate Newcastle University’s world-leading work on sustainability. For more information, see www.ncl.ac.uk/sustainability.   

Contact for queries and confirmation of attendance: Sue Tatah sue.tatah@ncl.ac.uk