Thursday, March 29th, 2012 – Friday, March 30th, 2012 Not a Drop to Drink: Water Scarcity and Politics in the 21st century

Description

‘Not a Drop to Drink: Water Scarcity and Politics in the 21st Century’ will explore the causes of water scarcity, current accessibility and ownership of water as a resource, and how water diplomacy will impact future relations between states.

For more information, and to register, please go to: https://www.munkschool.utoronto.ca/mgc/

Thursday, March 29, 2012
5:15 pm Registration Begins
5:45 pm Opening Remarks (Munk School of Global Affairs)

6:00 pm Keynote Address:
The Current Global Water Crisis: Brian Stewart & Dr. Zafar Adeel
One of Canada’s most experienced journalists, Brian Stewart (CBC), sits down for an in-depth conversation with Dr. Zafar Adeel, former Chair of UN-Water and Director of United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health for a discussion on the current Global Water Crisis facing the World today.

7:00 pm Reception
(Refreshments Served)

Friday, March 30, 2012
9:00 am Registration Open (Water, Coffee, Tea and Refreshments Served)

9:30 am Panel 1: The International Water Agenda
Representatives of International Organizations, Government, and Civil Society will discuss the ways in which each sector is engaging within the International Water Agenda.

Panelists:
Dr. Zafar Adeel (Director, UNU-INWEH, Former Chair, UN-Water)
Tony Maas (Director Freshwater Program, WWF-Canada)
Scott Vaughan (Commisioner of the Environment, Government of Canada)
Marcus Wijinen (Senior Water Expert, World Bank)

Chair:
Dr. Adèle Hurley (Director, Program on Water Issues)

11:00 am Water Break

11:15 am Breakout Sessions
Focused panel sessions that will include a variety of presenters and geographically diverse perspectives. Designed to engage discussion with experts and academic focusing on Water Issues in the following fields:

1. Water, Politics and Conflict

Panelists:
Dr. Galai Ali (Senior Technical Advisor, Canadian International Development Agency)
Dr. Christine Bischel (Senior Researcher, Department of Geosciences, University of Friburg)
Dr. Peter Bosshard (Policy Director, International Rivers Network)
Thomas Juneau (Senior Strategic Analyst, Department of National Defense)

2. Global Health and Water in a World of 7 Billion
(Presented in Partnership with the Graduate Students for Global Health)

Panelists:
Dr. David Fisman (Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
Dr. Stephen Sharper (Associate Professor, Center for the Environment)
George Yap (Executive Director, WaterCan)

3. The Role of Technology and Innovation in Solving the Global Water Crisis

Panelists:
Karyn Dyck (Samaritan’s Purse)
Fabian Papa (Principal, HydraTek & Associates)
Dr. Rod Tennyson (Director, Trans Africa Pipeline Solution)

1:00 pm Lunch

2:00 pm Special Address: Dr. Vandana Shiva

2:30 pm Panel 2: The Future of Canadian Water
This panel will explore some of the critical questions regarding the future of Canadian Water. Some of the critical questions that will be discussed will include: Is Water a Human Right or Commodity? Will water dictate future Canadian foreign and/or trade relations? Do Aboriginal communities have access to safe water in Canada? What are the issues of Water in the Arctic?

Panelists:
Scott Vaughan (Commisioner of the Environment, Government of Canada)
James Stauch (Vice President, Programs&Operations, Walter&Duncan Gordon Foundation)
George Yap (Executive Director, WaterCan)

4:00 pm Closing Address:
Margaret Trudeau (Honorary President, WaterCan)