While in New York a few days ago, I was interviewed by TRT World Television about the UN 2023 Water Conference. During the interview, we discussed the alarming number of people who still don't have access to clean water and sanitation, particularly in low-income countries, and the steps that need to be taken to address this global crisis.
You write : “I like talks that result in concrete cooperation between different parties that put down on paper what they will do, when, and where.” And I fully agree with your view. This UN conference in NYC led to advancements in treating water and wastewater and that’s one aim reached ! Bravo and thanks for all your involvements.
Where water has been so abundant in the past, it’s been taken for granted as though limitless. Your reference about being wasteful, spending money like water struck me the same way. Water has become a highly valuable commodity everywhere but especially in poor countries.
Watching and reading all the information of the past week has been an eye opening experience, not only for essential drinking water but the extremely important hygiene and sanitation reasons. To think of the number of children who die from drinking unclean water is horrifying and unconscionable.
Misplaced subsidies are overdue for reevaluation. Always a contentious point with enormous subsidies paid to oil companies, those funds should be more wisely and ethically applied to a resource that saves lives and the planet rather than to Big Oil whose activities destroy the planet through carbon emissions. So many valuable points made in both article and interview.
Thank you for your straightforward words of wisdom: "water is a common good."
Thanks too for making the striking point that "before this TRT segment is over, two children will have likely died from lack of clean water."
As duly noted, the issue is solvable if we just have the political will and leadership to take the right action. It is so frustrating to be in the U.S. where politicians waste time and taxpayer funds to manufacture "culture wars" and ban books instead of spending time and money on resolving real matters of (dire) consequence, like clean water.
600 commitments and counting. That sounds very encouraging. Thank you for adding the link to "Turning the tide". I hope we really are - turning the tide! It does feel like more is happening now than at/after other conferences. Are people and by people I mean governments and businesses finally waking up?
Your commitment to water💦 and the goals of this conference are evident in retrospect in so many of your communications on Substack and elsewhere. I was very impressed with the level of sophistication of all participants at the conference and the outcomes, particularly the projects submitted for funding by young people. While they will be affected the most (as children are today) these young scholars must be commended for their dedication to a subject that is not prevalent in the MSM, other than in terms of extreme weather events. Congratulations to you and the other diplomats from the Netherlands and and King Willem for your generosity in action and funding. While your co-sponsor was Tajikistan, and of course the United Nations, I suppose I recognized more clearly the Netherlands contingent as the conference proceeded (just me I expect!). Work well done and now objectives to fulfill; so very pleased for you all! And The Planet 🌍. 💦😊🕊️A remarkably successful “reboot” of SDG #6.
You write : “I like talks that result in concrete cooperation between different parties that put down on paper what they will do, when, and where.” And I fully agree with your view. This UN conference in NYC led to advancements in treating water and wastewater and that’s one aim reached ! Bravo and thanks for all your involvements.
Where water has been so abundant in the past, it’s been taken for granted as though limitless. Your reference about being wasteful, spending money like water struck me the same way. Water has become a highly valuable commodity everywhere but especially in poor countries.
Watching and reading all the information of the past week has been an eye opening experience, not only for essential drinking water but the extremely important hygiene and sanitation reasons. To think of the number of children who die from drinking unclean water is horrifying and unconscionable.
Misplaced subsidies are overdue for reevaluation. Always a contentious point with enormous subsidies paid to oil companies, those funds should be more wisely and ethically applied to a resource that saves lives and the planet rather than to Big Oil whose activities destroy the planet through carbon emissions. So many valuable points made in both article and interview.
Thank you and thanks to @TRT.
Thank you for your straightforward words of wisdom: "water is a common good."
Thanks too for making the striking point that "before this TRT segment is over, two children will have likely died from lack of clean water."
As duly noted, the issue is solvable if we just have the political will and leadership to take the right action. It is so frustrating to be in the U.S. where politicians waste time and taxpayer funds to manufacture "culture wars" and ban books instead of spending time and money on resolving real matters of (dire) consequence, like clean water.
Great article thank you for sharing. A lot to think about... 🙏
600 commitments and counting. That sounds very encouraging. Thank you for adding the link to "Turning the tide". I hope we really are - turning the tide! It does feel like more is happening now than at/after other conferences. Are people and by people I mean governments and businesses finally waking up?
https://twitter.com/infosperber/status/1640273241934557187?s=61&t=vdXEHijpC1XUGk9UcKnufw
Found this to read about plastic and thought of you.
Merci!
Excellent outcomes! Let’s believe that the better will be done. Thank you for your continuous awareness and efforts.
Your commitment to water💦 and the goals of this conference are evident in retrospect in so many of your communications on Substack and elsewhere. I was very impressed with the level of sophistication of all participants at the conference and the outcomes, particularly the projects submitted for funding by young people. While they will be affected the most (as children are today) these young scholars must be commended for their dedication to a subject that is not prevalent in the MSM, other than in terms of extreme weather events. Congratulations to you and the other diplomats from the Netherlands and and King Willem for your generosity in action and funding. While your co-sponsor was Tajikistan, and of course the United Nations, I suppose I recognized more clearly the Netherlands contingent as the conference proceeded (just me I expect!). Work well done and now objectives to fulfill; so very pleased for you all! And The Planet 🌍. 💦😊🕊️A remarkably successful “reboot” of SDG #6.