‘Water and energy’ was the main topic of the UN Water conference titled “Partnerships for improving water and energy access, efficiency and sustainability” in January in Zaragoza, Spain, a run up event to World Water Day 2014.  During the conference, different points of view arrived to the same conclusion, agreeing that  water and energy concerns are extremely worrying and increasingly being debated, not only in low and middle income countries also in high income countries, where the possibility of resources is threatened. However, during the conference, the correct management of water and energy was highlighted as a way to create significant advantages in terms of saving resources, maintaining ecosystem services and contributing to sustainable development.

During the conference several questions were addressed related to the ‘Water and Energy Nexus,’ such as the challenge to improve the coordination between water and energy operators. It was also demonstrated that improving coordination between the local authorities and relevant parties in regional level can significally reduce negative impacts and ensure economic and social well being.

A focus on the discussion was on the projections on the water consume and energy in contraposition with existence resources. Firstly, is supposed that the water demand can over in a 44% the annual available resources in 2050 and the energy demand could increase in a 50% during these years. The water provision and energy depends one in to the other, what means that is not possible the water suministre without water access, it’s also impossible gratify the water suministre without energy provision. In politic energy terms that means that water achieve a  fundamental paper. For example- in the hidroelectric produccion-. In that way, the energy suministre is necessary for the supplying and water treatment in rural and in urban zones.

Water is heavy, so it needs lot of energy for being transported, but the energy is still very expensive. For a water industry, the 30% of the operative cost come representative for the energetic cost, needed for manage water.

In words of the representant of private sector “Without energy is not possible doing nothing for managment water”.

The energetic security and the water supplying are related so is necessary integral politics that consider the interdependence between water and energy.

At the same time, during the conference, technological innovation in dry and hybrid refrigeration where presented. These technological innovation where presented for the generation of electric energy and the use of renewable energy for the water management. Despite the success there is a lot of path to do.

The uneven relations between water and energy seems to be an impediment to built effective alliances between water and energy. The language and the concepts used obstruct the communication and several times the  understanding. “The alliances are a run of resistence, not a speed run”, said Josefina Maestu,  director of the United Nations of  support to the Internation Decade for the Action “Water, life fountain” 2005-2025″. In the actual world, the cooperation and the alliances are not a necessity we can avoid.

Adrián Puigarnay, program manager of water institute, recognizes the importance and the merit of the United nations in the conference of Zaragoza to face a challenge of how is the water and the energy. This is very important for the new generations, to approximate them the new way to face the problems of supplying water and energy. This new way of moving forward and connecting water and energy.

The challenge of the young generation is to apport concepts and taking part actively in the discussion. For example, Ana Delgado was the agent of Banco Mundial during the conference and she said that exists several spaces of inclusion like the program “Youth to youth Program”, GPE Programe, “Young Professional Programe, Voluntaring and activities like conferences.

Mark Smith said that the young people are called to create associations to lead questions to create solutions, and also work together. That is a sine qua non condition to gratify the exit in the sector of water and energy.

By: Brigitte Urzaiz

 

ORIGINAL TEXT:

Water and energy: incessant and constant worry

The water demand can exceeded in a 44% the available annual resources during 2050 and the energy demand could increase in a 50%  

“Water and energy” was the main topic in the conference called “Water, life’s fountain” the last Jaunary 16th in Zaragoza, Spain. This conference organized by United Nations and Ebro Confederation Hidrografic  was an antecedent for the World Water Day 2014.                            

On one hand, different points of views they arrived to the same conclusion saying that “Water and energy” topic is worrying more and more the public debate, not only in the underdevelopment countries also in the development countries, where the possibility of resources are compromised. In the other hand, during the conference, it was said that the correct management of water  and energy can create several profits in terms of saving resources, maintaining the services of the ecosystems and contributing to the sustainable development. 

During the conference they approach several questions related with the topic “Water and Energy Nexus” like the  problems founded to improve the coordination between water and energy operators. At the same time it was demonstrated how the improvement in the coordination between the local authorities and the interested parts in regional level can reduce significally negative impacts over the economic and social well being. The session offers the opportunity to the participants to share the job and experience to intensify the alliances with the porpoise to intensify “water and energy” and  improve the sustainability in a middle and long term.

The discussion of that problem was focus on the projection on the water consume and energy in contraposition with existence resources. Firstly, is supposed that the water demand can over in a 44% the annual available resources in 2050 and the energy demand could increase in a 50% during these years. The water provision and energy depends one in to the other, what means that is not possible the water suministre without water access, it’s also impossible gratify the water suministre without energy provision. In politic energy terms that means that water achieve a  fundamental paper. For example- in the hidroelectric produccion-. In that way, the energy suministre is necessary for the supplying and water treatment in rural and in urban zones.

Water is heavy, so it needs lot of energy for being transported, but the energy is still very expensive. For a water industry, the 30% of the operative cost come representative for the energetic cost, needed for manage water.

In words of the representant of private sector “Without energy is not possible doing nothing for managment water”.

The energetic security and the water supplying are related so is necessary integral politics that consider the interdependence between water and energy.

At the same time, during the conference, technological innovation in dry and hybrid refrigeration where presented. These technological innovation where presented for the generation of electric energy and the use of renewable energy for the water management. Despite the success there is a lot of path to do.

The uneven relations between water and energy seems to be an impediment to built effective alliances between water and energy. The language and the concepts used obstruct the communication and several times the  understanding. “The alliances are a run of resistence, not a speed run”, said Josefina Maestu,  director of the United Nations of  support to the Internation Decade for the Action “Water, life fountain” 2005-2025″. In the actual world, the cooperation and the alliances are not a necessity we can avoid.

Adrián Puigarnay, program manager of water institute, recognizes the importance and the merit of the United nations in the conference of Zaragoza to face a challenge of how is the water and the energy. This is very important for the new generations, to approximate them the new way to face the problems of supplying water and energy. This new way of moving forward and connecting water and energy.

The challenge of the young generation is to apport concepts and taking part actively in the discussion. For example, Ana Delgado was the agent of Banco Mundial during the conference and she said that exists several spaces of inclusion like the program “Youth to youth Program”, GPE Programe, “Young Professional Programe, Voluntaring and activities like conferences.

Mark Smith said that the young people are called to create associations to lead questions to create solutions, and also work together. That is a sine qua non condition to gratify the exit in the sector of water and energy.

Brigitte Urzaiz