Hilke Schweer represents Ricardo at World Water Week 2024 ‘Bridging Borders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future’

Hilke Schweer, Senior Consultant at Ricardo, working across Water, Land, Sustainability and Climate Adaptation will be representing Ricardo at World Water Week 2024 in Stockholm, Sweden.

World Water Week takes place annually in Stockholm bringing together international organisations, scientists, industry and businesses. This year is the 34^th conference running from 25-29^th August 2024. The theme this year, ‘Bridging Boarders: Water for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future’ will cover ecosystem security, innovation and resilience, planetary boundaries, human security, water diplomacy, transboundary cooperation, governance, technical solutions and the building of trust.

Hilke has been selected by the World Water Week Team as a volunteer assistant. Ahead of the conference, in this blog, she explains the importance of bringing together global experts at this prestigious event to consider global solutions to the world’s most pressing water challenges.

“At World Water Week, I am looking forward to not only helping the team put together a seamless and vibrant event but to participate in the exciting workshops, network with global experts and share experiences across organisations which are working on water-related topics.”

“Water is a human right and critical in supporting our economies, societies, and ecosystems. Yet, despite its vital role, water remains a source of conflict in many parts of the world. The degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity disrupts the natural balance and reduces the availability of necessary resources. Scarcity, unequal distribution, and the impacts of climate change have exacerbated tensions, often leading to conflicts that transcend borders. The World Bank has predicted that by 2050, about 3.2 billion people will live in areas facing severe water scarcity.”

“The good news is that there are solutions out there. First Nations water knowledge is immense, academia provides lots of research needed, and industries can help safeguard essential ecosystems and maintain biodiversity by adopting sustainable practices, such as efficient water management, pollution reduction, and habitat restoration. By collaborating with communities, governments and NGOs, people and industries can contribute to equitable resource distribution, ensuring access to clean water and other essential resources to all, particularly in water-scarce regions. Both local communities and businesses can benefit from this as we all rely on the ecosystem services (e.g. pure water, freshwater, pollination, food, raw materials, medicinal resources, climate regulation) that nature provides. This proactive approach thus supports long-term nature, social and economic resilience."

”Working at Ricardo, where we have a huge amount of cross-collaboration and project work across the water, land, climate adaptation, policy and sustainability (stewardship, life-cycle-assessment and ESG) teams, I experience the benefits of collaborative action and project work every day.” Here you can find out about our projects and our breadth of experience supporting key industries.

“The collective capacities for cooperation, innovation and change are endless. By bridging borders – geographical, political, and cultural – we can ensure that water becomes a source of unity rather than division, and that we build a future where water is available to maintain natural ecosystems and where access to clean, safe water is a universal reality.”

“At World Water Week, I am looking forward to exchanging knowledge, bridging gaps and foster collaboration. For anyone who cannot join World Water Week in person this year, I want to invite them to join online especially young water professionals. Come participate in seminars and conversations online, which is also free of charge, and join the global conversation!”

Hilke will be present throughout the event. If you are attending and would like to meet with her, please feel free to book a quick hello meet with her here and for her daily updates and insights from World Water Week, 25-29 August, follow Ricardo plc’s LinkedIn channel: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ricardo-plc