Water and society 2011

This first International Conference on Water and Society aims to provide a multi-disciplinary forum for the presentation and discussion of many issues affecting water resources today.

The meeting will encourage trans-disciplinary communication on issues related to the nature of water, and its use and exploitation by society. The conference is motivated by the need to bridge the gap between the broad spectrum of social sciences and humanistic disciplines and specialists in physical sciences, biology, environmental sciences, health and others that, in the words of Ilya Prigogine, constitute the "hard" sciences.

Water, as the source of all life, is the most precious substance on the planet. Its comparative abundance has led to many misuses which will seriously impair our common future. Problems such as water degradation and contamination are impossible to resolve without the participation of many different disciplines. These issues are, by definition, trans-national and relate to rights of states and hence it is essential to discuss these at international level to arrive at equitable and binding solutions that will ensure the rights of society to quality water supplies.

Conference Topics

• The nature of water
• Water as a human right
• Water as the source of life
• Water in a changing climate
• Future water demands and adaptation strategies
• Water resources contamination
• Surface and sub-surface water resources
• Irrigation and desertification
• Water, sanitation and health
• Transnational water rights
• Legislation and controls
• Water through the ages
• Lessons to be learnt
• Water and disaster management