202. Water Week, Royal Geographical Society, 5 June 2024

An inspiring evening.

I was invited to join Water Week at the prestigious headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society.

Water Week, a global environmental education campaign for children and young people, is being delivered in alignment with goals of the UN-Water 2030 Strategy as part of the United Nations Water Action Decade.

“Water is precious. It is the lifeblood of this planet and connects us all. It is essential for all life. We believe in collective action to protect it and safeguard clean and safe water for all.”

UN Water Action Decade 2018-2028

Their mission:

“Harness the power of science and storytelling to inspire, inform and empower the next generation of water conservationists”

Before the formal event started I found myself talking to a project leader at UKRI, previously known as Innovate UK. He had a water portfolio within the overall budget of £8 billion. He described the many initiatives they were supporting and the fact that, since the government has rescinded its prohibition on working with Europe in September 2023, we were able to join in Horizon Europe projects with European counterparts. The reality is not so quite good as there is still a resistance to this cooperation and a suspicion of working with UK partners.  However, there are plenty of funding opportunities in the water sector.  We should be encouraging the sector to seize these and potential collaborations between companies in the sector with other organisations.

In another conversation I heard how the Port of London Authority had changed significantly with new management, attracting a far more diverse intake of staff. I was amazed to hear how large geographically is its remit.

I had the pleasure of a discussion with a new Freeman who is due to join the Water Conservators with his company at our Installation Court Meeting. We agreed about the need to attract new members from different parts of the water and environmental sectors.

We then had a series of presentations from ambassadors for Water Week, starting with an amazing eight year old talking about the importance of water and its management to future generations. A series of presentations highlighted the importance of communication about water, including the need for investment and action to address climate change. Water is not just a precious resource; it connects us all around the planet. We need to incentivise a new generation to value water. A traditional approach to education will not be enough.

Congratulations to the organisers for a fascinating and encouraging evening.



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