The International Water Association (IWA) has announced the keynote speakers for its World Water Congress and Exhibition in Brisbane, which will host more than 5,000 water industry professionals from 9-14 October at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The conference will bring together thought-leaders, decision-makers, researchers and business representatives from across the water sector to explore ways to shape future global water management.
The conference’s keynote speakers include:
John Thwaites – Professorial Fellow, Monash University and Chair of ClimateWorks Australia, the Monash Sustainability Institute and Melbourne Water.
Barbara Frost – Chief Executive of WaterAid UK.
Eva Abal – Director of the recently-established University of Queensland (UQ) Water.
Ben Schouten – Advisor for the European Commission on the ‘Internet of Things’ and Dutch Cultural Media Fund.
Joan Rose – Professor at Michigan State University, holds the Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research and serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment.
Mr Thwaites will discuss the topic ‘Water and the future we want – how water can contribute to achieving the global sustainable development goals’; Ms Frost will explore ‘Ending extreme poverty, what do the SDGs mean for access to water, sanitation and hygiene’; and Ms Abal’s presentation will simplify the complexities of water resources management.
Mr Schouten’s presentation will focus on ‘Participative societies creating new challenges for the water sector’ and Ms Rose will be answering the question ‘Can the water microbiome save the biohealth of the planet?’.
The conference will include workshops, technical sessions and business forums where professionals from more than 100 countries will offer new insights into the science, technologies and practices that are shaping global water management.
For more information and to register visit www.iwa-network.org/event/world-water-congress-exhibition-2016/.
