Water Pact Between Israel and China

Hebrew University, sent Green Prophet this press announcement today. Water seems to be the talk of the town these days:

Possessing only 6.2% of global freshwater resources to supply 21% of the world’s population, China’s severe water shortage has become one of the most pressing dangers the country faces, threatening its fast-growing economy.

Despite its vast water reserves, China is quickly running out of its most vital natural resources due to rampant industrial pollution and inefficient use. Today, 70 percent of running water in China’s cities is unfit for drinking or fishing and around 300 million rural Chinese currently drink polluted water.

Israel’s advanced irrigation, desalinization and other water technologies have made it a global leader in the field, while Israeli industry is already playing a pivotal role in supplying China’s growing needs in the water sector.

With China planning to invest over $125 billion by 2010 in building waste water treatment plants and upgrading nationwide water distribution systems, this conference will allow the two sides to examine further investment and cooperation in the field.

Speakers will include Chinese ambassador to Israel, H.E. Zhao Jun; Director General of the Israeli Water Authority, Prof. Uri Shani; Director of the national water technology program, “NewTech Israel”, Oded Distel; Secretary General of the Research Center for Integrated River Basin Management at Beijing University, Prof. Yang Xiaoliu; Project Officer at the European Commission in Beijing, Dr. Richard Hardiman; Prof. Avner Adin of the Hebrew University’s department of soil and water sciences; and representatives from the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Sponsors include the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, Aradtech, Netafim, ARI Flow Control Accessories, Weinstock, Zecler & Co. and Yissum Technologies – the Hebrew University’s technology transfer company.

The conference, which is being held under the auspices of the Hebrew University’s Louis Frieberg Center for East Asian Studies, will take place at theYitzhak Rabin Building, Mount Scopus on Thursday, March 13, 2008, 9 a.m. – 12 noon. The event will be conducted in English.