As part of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Polish Embassy and Open Eyes Economy Summit are organizing the conference Water Security: A Dialogue between Science, Politics, and Society next Monday, June 16, at 10:00 a.m. at the European Commission Representation (Paseo de la Castellana 46). The event will be held in Spanish and Polish with simultaneous translation.
The importance of water security is unquestionable. Societies and their economies—agriculture, industry, and energy generation—depend on water. It is a crucial resource for ensuring political and social stability. However, water security is threatened by complex and diverse causes, such as the increasing global population and its concentration in cities, the degradation of water quality due to increased pollution from human activities—not only atmospheric pollution, but also from land-use changes—and the impact of extreme weather events driven by climate change on water.
We face geopolitical, climate, environmental, and food challenges, which are interrelated and exacerbate water scarcity. Geopolitical challenges include conflicts over water, while climate challenges, such as droughts and floods, threaten water availability and quality. Environmental challenges focus on pollution and the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems, while food challenges are related to the growing demand for water for agriculture and food. Identifying and analyzing these problems is essential to finding sustainable solutions for the future. In this context, Poland is taking advantage of its EU Presidency to lead the debate on security in all its dimensions, including climate, food, and water security. Water security is a complex challenge that requires joint and coordinated action at the global level. Therefore, the Embassy in Madrid, accompanied by representatives of the European Commission, the governments of Poland and Spain, and the scientific community, aims to contribute with this event to identify the greatest challenges and analyze them to find sustainable solutions for the future.
The Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Poland, Monika Krzepkowska, will open this conference, along with Claudia Olazabal, Director-General for the Environment and Head of the Sustainable Freshwater Management Unit of the European Commission.
Two main topics will be covered: Panel 1: Water security. Geopolitical risks. Trends and challenges.
I.1. Threats in the global context and perspectives for Spain and Poland, and the role of water security in building national security policy.
I.2 European and national climate and environmental policies, the Green Deal. Polish and Spanish perspectives.
I.3 Polish and Spanish priorities in water security and water management.
Institutional representatives:
Beata Jaczewska, Director of the Department for European Economic Policy at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Paweł Jaworski, Director of the Department for Climate Change Adaptation and Urban Policy, Ministry of Climate and Environment; and
Alejandra Puig Infante, Deputy Director General for Hydrological Planning, Directorate General for Water, Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. Moderator: Tymon Pastucha, energy and climate policy analyst, Polish Institute of International Affairs.
Panel 2 will address Climate Change, Climate-Environmental Policies, and Water Security II.1 Climate Change, Adaptation, and Mitigation.
II.2 Water-Related Extremes: Droughts and Floods, Water Quality Problems (examples from Poland and Spain).
II.3 Water in Agriculture: More Harvest per Drop.
Scientific Experts:
Professor Zbigniew Kundzewicz, Professor Mikołaj Piniewski, Professor Edward Pierzgalski, Professor María del Carmen Llasat, Professor Luis Mediero Orduña, and Professor Damia Barcelo Culleres. This panel will be moderated by Sofia Tirado Sarti, Researcher, Energy and Climate Program, Real Instituto Elcano Royal. A cocktail reception will take place at the end of the event (2:30 p.m.).
