출처: The Korea Herald

[The Korea Herald - Nov. 3, 2014] 

In April 2015, Daegu City and North Gyeongsang Province will cohost the seventh World Water Forum.

Daegu has emerged as a venue for energy-related events since it hosted the World Energy Congress in 2013. As water-related issues are interwoven with the energy sector in many aspects, it is not surprising that the World Energy Council, the organizer of WEC, and the World Water Council, the organizer of WWF, have formed a strong relationship and chosen Daegu as the venue for their event.

Following a memorandum of understanding in March 2014, the World Energy Council and World Water Council have been exploring even more ways to cooperate on finding solutions to the challenges facing the water and energy nexus.

Against this backdrop, my speech last week at the International Water & Energy Conference, held in Lyon, France, as the pre-event to the seventh WWF next year, naturally focused on ways to promote cooperation between the water and energy sectors.

Water is an incredibly precious and powerful resource for human beings. Its intrinsic value is far beyond what we pay for it. New realities must be faced in order to achieve water sustainability.

Water’s scarcity and abundance impact the availability and price of goods, the profit of companies, and the vitality of economies.

Climate change realities coupled with urban growth, infrastructure demands and economic constraints create additional pressures on cities, businesses and water utilities.

These circumstances highlight the need for increased awareness about the value of water and its impact on business operations.

Yet, we need to take a look at the facts: The world population is growing at a rate of 80 million people a year. It is estimated that by 2030 the world will need 30 percent more water, 40 percent more energy and 50 percent more food.

(Omissions)