Can Technology Solve the Water Crisis?

The interlinkages of water, energy, and food have been examined and expressed in the concept of the water-energy-food nexus since the 2007-08 global financial crisis propelled them into the spotlight. The nexus concept has allowed academics and other resources practitioners to express the interdependencies and constraints between these three systems, and to offer solutions that bridge across them.

We are entering a new era of addressing nexus problems — applying remote monitoring, analytics, AI, and machine learning to water sustainability is unearthing new insights and solutions. The open data revolution has given access to organizations that would not be able to gather and process data themselves.

In this session, experts from Accenture, Deltares, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Google, Microsoft, Water Resources Management Authority in Zambia, World Wildlife Fund, and World Resources Institute will discuss the role of advanced technology and multi-sectoral collaboration in addressing nexus issues, and provide a deep dive into the Global Water Watch platform with a chance for the audience to provide feedback on this tool. Global Water Watch, supported by Google and the Water, Peace, and Security Partnership, is a data platform of free, globally accessible near-real-time information on water. It provides information on thousands of global reservoirs, helping decision-makers respond to extreme weather events and managing growing risks of climate change. The platform uses modern AI and EO algorithms to map dams and produce high-resolution spatiotemporal information on the amount of water stored in reservoirs in near-real-time.

• Elizabeth Burlon, Global Solution Development Lead for Water Sustainability and Energy Efficiency, Accenture
• Dr. A.M. Moreno-Rodenas, Specialist, Environmental Hydraulics, Hydraulic Engineering Unit, Resilient Ports and Coasts Department, Deltares
• Alexis Morgan, Global Water Stewardship Lead, World Wildlife Fund
• Alex Mung, Global Director, Water Sustainability, ABInBev
• Annemieke Nijhof, Managing Director, Deltares
• Frank Nyoni, Senior Water Quality and Environmental Officer, Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA), Zambia
• Liz Saccoccia, Water Security Associate, World Resources Institute
• Tara Varghese, Water Stewardship Lead, Google

8:30 a.m. Arrivals and Coffee

9:00 a.m. Welcome and Setting the Scene

Annemieke Nijhof, General Director, Deltares

9:10 a.m. Panel Discussion on Advanced Technology and Water

Moderator: Elizabeth Burlon, Senior Manager, Utilities Strategy & Consulting, Accenture

 Panelists:

• • Annemieke Nijhof, General Director, Deltares
  • Ranveer Chandra, Managing Director, Research for Industry, CTO, Agri-Food, Microsoft
  • Tara Varghese, Water Stewardship Lead, Google
  • Alex Mung, Global Director, Water Sustainability, AB-Inbev

9:50 a.m. Global Water Watch: A Platform Providing Accurate and Timely Information on

Global Water Resources

Antonio Moreno Rodenas, Specialist in Environmental Hydraulics, Deltares

10:05 a.m. Global Water Watch Use Case

Frank Nyoni, Senior Environmental and Water Quality Officer, WARMA

10:20 a.m. Wrap Up, Roadmap and Future Developments

Alexis Morgan, Global Water Stewardship Lead, WWF

10:30 a.m. User Testing and Feedback Session

Moderators:

• • Liz Saccoccia, Water Security Associate, WRI
  • Meredith Hess, Stakeholder Engagement Associate, WRI
  • Antonio Moreno Rodenas, Specialist in Environmental Hydraulics, Deltares

11:00 a.m. Networking Session

This session is one of three sessions being held at this venue over the course of March 21. If you are interested in attending the other sessions, please register via the links below as seating will be limited.

• : 12:00-2:00 p.m. EST
• Collective Action in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo: 3:00-5:00 p.m. EST

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

ABInBev Commercial Strategy Office, 125 West 24th Street, New York, United States