Freshwater underpins all life on Earth, sustaining people and nature. Yet climate change, ecosystem conversion and degradation, pollution, overexploitation and other human-driven pressures are disrupting the water cycle, threatening the people and species that depend on it. Addressing these interconnected challenges will require the world to safeguard the water cycle by protecting and restoring freshwater ecosystems, while also combatting the drivers of freshwater biodiversity loss and ensuring safe, affordable and clean water for all.
On August 13, Systems Change Lab hosted a high-level discussion on the state of the global freshwater system and the urgent actions needed to accelerate change. Bringing together leading experts and decision-makers ahead of World Water Week, this conversation explored the system-wide changes needed to combat the climate and biodiversity crises while ensuring equitable access to water.
Co-hosted by World Resources Institute, the Bezos Earth Fund, and UNEP-WCMC, this webinar marked the launch of Systems Change Lab’s new freshwater system. Speakers discussed progress toward transforming the global freshwater system, where action is falling short, and the opportunities to accelerate action and build a more resilient and equitable future.
Moderator
- Sara Walker, Director of Corporate Water Engagement, World Resources Institute
Opening Remarks
Henk Ovink, Executive Director, Global Commission on the Economics of Water
Research Insights
Clea Schumer, Research Associate II, World Resources Institute
Sebastian Dunnett, Senior Programme Officer, UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Panelists
Jay Famiglietti, Global Futures Professor, Arizona State University
Pedi Obani, Associate Professor, University of Bradford School of Law
Darren Saywell, Chief Business Officer, Millennium Water Alliance
Michele Thieme, Vice President and Deputy Lead of Freshwater, World Wildlife Fund US