Peter Debaere – Global Water Blog

Climate Change, Environment, Water Scarcity

Jonathan Overpeck on Drought in the Colorado Basin

In the eighth edition of the Global Water Initiative’s World Water Events, the last event was a talk by Jonathan Overpeck, the Samuel A. Graham Dean of Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan and its William B. Stapp Collegiate Professor of Environmental Education, titled “Climate Change, The Colorado…

By Peter Debaere- June 1, 2021

Water & Health, Water & Society, Water Quality

Q&A with Shaoda Wang about environmental (water) regulation in China

As part of this year’s World Water Events, the Global Water Initiative hosted Professor Shaoda Wang from the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. Professor Wang presented his ongoing research project together with a number of other researchers and colleagues. The title of his talk…

By Peter Debaere- May 3, 2021

Built Environment, Environment, Water & Society

Q&A with David Blackbourn on the History of Germany and Its Rivers

As part of the eighth edition of the World Water Events, the Global Water Initiative in collaboration with the Center for German Studies invited David Blackbourn, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Distinguished Chair of History at Vanderbilt University. Blackbourn is the author of the award-winning book, The Conquest of Nature: Water…

By Peter Debaere- April 20, 2021

Innovation, Water Technology

Q&A with Tam Nguyen about “The Business of Water”

On March 3, Tam Nguyen gave the first talk of the eighth annual World Water Events, a collaboration between the Global Water Initiative and the Darden Business School. Nguyen is the global sustainability officer of The Bechtel Corporation and president of bechtel.org, the company’s social enterprise. He formulated…

By Peter Debaere- March 25, 2021

Uncategorized

Q&A with Justin Schon on Water, Violence and Migration

There is a long and growing literature that seeks to better understand the relationship between water (and climate change more broadly) and the prevalence of violence. The discussion has gone way beyond the occasional public statements that “future wars will be about water,” and there is a growing realization that…

By Peter Debaere- February 10, 2021

Access to Drinking Water, Built Environment, Innovation, Water Technology

Q&A with Ankur Pathak about Desalination on the High Sea

Before studying at Darden, Ankur Pathak (MBA 2021) was an engineer traveling the world aboard massive oil tankers. His last ship was a product oil Panamax tanker that measured two soccer fields long and half a soccer field wide. It just fit through the Panama Canal. Pathak was responsible for…

By Peter Debaere- November 16, 2020

Water & Society, Water Policy

Q&A with Sharon Megdal about Groundwater as a Wicked Problem

Professor Sharon Megdal is the director of The University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center and a professor in the Department of Environmental Science at the same university. Her work focuses on water policy and management. Due to the corona virus lockdown in April, Megdal gave a virtual talk as…

By Peter Debaere- July 24, 2020

Access to Drinking Water, Infrastructure, Water and the Coronavirus, Water Quality, Water Technology

Water Infrastructure & the Coronavirus: We Need to Upgrade More than Ever

Part of a Special Series: Water & the VirusThe coronavirus and policy responses of lockdowns and social distancing are bringing the world economy to a halt. We will use this water blog as a space in which to gain some insights into how the water sector is affected—as…

By Peter Debaere- June 2, 2020