Energy and Water: The Vital Link for a Sustainable Future

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Introduction from Report

When we look ahead and envisage a future where coming generations will thrive, we see one threat overshadowing all others: a silo mentality, every sector acting on its own, would effectively cripple any effort to build a sustainable future. Energy and water make a very good example. Water and energy are interdependent in more ways than not. We need energy for pumping, storing, transporting and treating water, we need water for producing almost all kinds of energy. An increase or decrease in one will immediately affect the other.

The arguments for tighter links between the two communities are abundant, as you will find in the contributions to this report, and become all the more important as a raised living standard in many countries lead to a higher demand for both water and energy.

It is a fascinating fact that water and energy challenges are very similar all over the world, although solutions often need to be local. The opportunities to learn from each other and cooperate are endless.

This urgent need for a closer relationship between the energy and water communities will be discussed and encouraged during World Water Week in Stockholm, and it will remain an important part of SIWI’s work in the years to come. It is an issue going well beyond the water and energy communities. It is central in the global efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and a concern for all of humanity