IN FOCUS

The Water Security in Africa (WASA) research programme convenes more than 100 researchers from Southern Africa and Germany for its kick-off conference, which will take place from 25 to 27 September 2024 in Stellenbosch, South Africa, and will be co-hosted by Stellenbosch University.

The water sector needs to build infrastructure at scale over the coming decades. Ahead of her keynote address to the Water Industry Forum on 25 September, Sharon Darcy, chair of the Linear Infrastructure Planning Panel, says competing demands with other sectors over allocation of resources means a collaborative approach is vital.

Titled “Urban Water Resilience – Reshaping Our Cities”, this year’s BLUE PLANET Berlin Water Dialogues on November 28 will concentrate on the need to improve water resilience in urban areas in the face of climate change. After last year’s focus on the circular water economy, this year’s edition will explore the interplay of blue, green and grey infrastructure to strengthen urban water resilience.

Pipeline & Gas Expo 2024, held 29th – 31st May at Piacenza Expo in Italy, brought together industry leaders to facilitate connections for a more resilient and future-proofed water distribution network.

Sustainable development of the built world includes the protection of water, reduced emissions, renewable energy sources and their efficient utilisation. Experts from the sanitation, heating and air-conditioning sector will be presenting solutions for sustainable and modern building services technology that can make this possible at ISH from 17 to 21 March 2025.

At the world’s leading trade show for the process industries 2,842 exhibitors from 56 nations showed 106,001 participants from 141 countries the latest equipment and innovative processes for the chemical, pharmaceutical and food processing industries at the Frankfurt exhibition grounds from 10 to 14 June 2024.

Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation & Water Resources, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, and the Minister of Works & Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, will deliver keynote speeches at Water Africa and West Africa Building & Construction 2024, which takes place in Accra on 26-28 June. The guests of honour will tour the exhibition, meeting delegates and exhibitors, and hearing about the technologies and solutions being brought to bear on water and construction challenges in Africa and globally.

An applied research project in Scotland involving the use of earth observation science (EOS) in multiple water applications was just one of many highlights of  BlueTech Forum 2024 for Paul O’Callaghan, chief executive of BlueTech Research. The roundtable delivered by Professor Andrew Tyler, Scotland Hydro Nation Chair at the University of Stirling, and was one of 16 where delegates could tackle real-world challenges in creative ways. It was part of a rich two-day programme identifying ways water innovation is being put into action globally. 

At the ACHEMA Opening on 10 June 2024 German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, Dr Robert Habeck, and thought leaders from the financial sector, the chemical industry and suppliers pointed out how the process industry is positioning itself within new global framework conditions. Their conclusion: The process industry is vital for the transformation of the economy and society as a whole and international cooperation is the order of the day to overcome the manifold challenges.

With over 2,800 exhibitors from 56 countries, ACHEMA has opened today (10 June 2024) in Frankfurt. The most important event of the process industry worldwide shows equipment and processes for the chemical, pharma and food industry.