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Reception: "In Hot Water"
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Background:   

The United Nations estimates that 1.8 billion people will be living in areas that will experience absolute water scarcity by 2025.  Local governments will experience some of the greatest stress for water resources as their populations increase and more pressure is put on them to provide their residents with sustainable water resources.

Since 2006, CIFAL Atlanta has partnered with the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) to put on an annual water forum that assists local government officials in dealing with water-related issues.

Format:   

CIFAL Atlanta’s June 4-6 forum will start the evening of Wednesday, June 4, with an opening reception organized by The Climate Group and MWH Global.  The reception will look at the media’s role in covering water resources in the context of climate change.  The remaining two days will be devoted to presentations from expert panelists and in-depth round-table discussions between delegates.

Over the two days, delegates will identify public, private and non-profit resources that deal with water-related issues as they are affected by climate change. Government representatives will be asked to assess their locale’s capacity for dealing with such issues and be encouraged to make positive policy changes upon their return.

Speakers and Endorsers: 

CIFAL Atlanta’s Third Annual International Water forum is being endorsed by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Georgia Water Research Institute, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and the Water Environment Federation.

Academics, government officials and water experts will be speaking at this year’s water forum.  Past speakers have included the following: Joe Burgess, president & CEO, Veolia Water North America; Ola Busari, Water Resource Specialist, the Development Bank of South Africa; Mi Hua, director, Water & Sanitation Partnerships, Global Environment and Technology Foundation; Shirley Franklin, mayor, City of Atlanta; Ken Kirk, executive director, National Association of Clean Water Agencies;  Philippe Marin, senior water & sanitation specialist, World Bank; Aris Georgakakos, director, Georgia Water Resources Institute;  Joe Rozza, water risk manager, Coca-Cola Co.; Rob Renner, president,  American Water Works Association Research Foundation; Paul Reiter, executive director, International Water Association; Shimon Tal, water commissioner, Israel Water Commission; Diane VanDe Hei, executive director, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. 

Corportate Donors:  

Corporate donors to the Third Annual International Water Forum include The Coca-Cola Co., MWH Global, and Veolia Environnement.