World Water Day 2024: "Leveraging Water for Peace"
Fridtjov Ruden (Ruden AS) og William Derman (NMBU) give talks on their work with water in conflict areas around the world.
The theme for UN World Watar Day 2024 is "Leveraging Water for Peace". The UN's World Water Development Report (UN WWDR) 2024 will be launched on 22 March 2024 with a focus on how the development and maintenance of safe and fair access to water underpins prosperity and peace for all, and how poverty and inequality, social tensions and conflict can reinforce insecurity and conflicts related to water.
Date:
Place:
Universitetsbiblioteket
Address:
Elizabeth Stephansens vei 15, 1433 Ås
Contact person:
Programme:
Water Conflict and Water Governance for Peace in an Era of Uncertainty
William Derman, Department of International Environment and Development Studies (Noragric, NMBU)
"The American geographer Aaron Wolfe has, for many years, written and spoken that despite fears water wars are very rare. He has compiled the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Data Base to substantiate his argument. Nonetheless, we can understand water management as conflict management and increasingly needed. With the increasing effects of climate change and transboundary rivalry for fresh water, there will be increasing competition for water which in turn will intensify pressures for water cooperation. In this talk, I will focus on some roots of conflicts and strategies needed to increase the use of water for peace. My examples will be drawn from Africa where I have carried out a range of research on water issues."
Water, War and Peace
Fridtjov Ruden (Ruden AS).
Fridtjov Ruden graduated from UiO in 1978 as the country’s first university-educated hydrogeologist. He has worked some 40 years within geophysical water prospecting, well-drilling and well logging across the globe, including Africa, the Middle East, China, Mongolia, SE Asia and Central America. He has often been active in regions dominated by war, drought and famine.
Ruden has written and co-authored several academic papers, and is a pioneer in the field of innovative and unconventional groundwater sources. He is particularly concerned with the lack of practical field experience on the part of the many ‘water talkers’ dominating the global water narrative, and welcomes those willing to do more and talk less whilst trying to help us save the world.
Questions from the audience and discusion
Moderated by Helen K. French andGunnhild S. Solli. Questions may be posed in English or Norwegian.
Take your lunch to the University Library
Bring your packed lunch, we serve water, coffee and chocolate. The session will be streamed.
Welcome to NMBU's celebration of World Water Day 2024.