Hall 6

The Opening Address
by Minister of DWS.

Hall 6

The W12 Congress opens with three global experts providing the baseline for the water and climate change realities that major cities are facing around the world. The session updates on cutting-edge science results globally and what they mean for citizens, industry, and government. Panelists then focus on the “so what”—what does this mean for the leaders of cities facing rising water insecurity? 

Hall 6

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 6

Water ― a commodity that we trade, a basic human need, and a sacred substance for every world religion. This panel explores the complexity of humanity’s relationship to water: a vital component of food systems, a pivotal aspect of public health, a right, a life necessity, a sacred resource. Speakers lead the audience through every dimension of the value of water, including the social, economic, environmental, political, and religious.

Hall 6

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 6

Dramatic case studies of cities that have faced water crisis, including insider perspectives and takeaway insights. What do leaders need to guide a city through a water emergency? The lessons learned come from city, private sector, citizen, and nonprofit leaders. Focus areas include social entrepreneurship, communication, stakeholder engagement, and community empowerment. 

Hall 6

What role can and should the private sector play in water management? When and how are the strengths of business being used to achieve the greatest public benefits? What makes transformative public-private partnerships work? Topics include everything from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to market-based solutions.

Hall 6

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 6

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 6

From multilateral development bank funded projects to municipal management of public toilets, monitoring and evaluating the impact and effectiveness of water projects is challenging. This panel explores how to quantify impact, loss, and effectiveness at different levels. How do we work with civil society to manage investments and build collective ownership? What are the best practices for monitoring impact and/or loss of water projects? What roles should the private sector, public sector, and civil society play?

Hall 6

Using case studies to provide engaging narrative examples of key challenges, innovations and breakthroughs in water and climate change, this session allows audience members to move around the room and hear from different presenters. Case studies include science, technology, finance, and social services; they focus on civil society as well as the relationships between business, industry and cities. Session includes a hands-on visioning exercise to help identify new visions for the future of water and cities.

Hall 8C

Upon completion of their public presentation, city officials will meet in closed-door sessions with consultant teams on issues related to their particular city, offering networking and discussion opportunities. A designated liaison will assist with the movement of mayors and mayoral delegations from one room to another, also ensuring that food, beverage, and comfort needs are met during and between the meetings.

Halls 5

City leaders will present short, engaging presentations focusing on lessons learned, experiences, and key challenges in their cities within the context of urban water needs and successes.

Daisy / Fresia

Moderated Panel for City Delegations

Hall 7

The Opening Address
by Executive Mayor Dan Plato

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Hall 7

Presenting Partner Welcome.

Hall 7

Opening Keynote

Hall 7

This VIP panel builds on the key themes from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s keynote address, offering a substantive exploration of new ways that cities are organizing to respond to the reality of escalating water challenges. With its focus on youth, social enterprises, and civil society driven governance, this panel sets the tone for the remainder of Thursday’s program.

Moderated by Mr. Pancho Campo.

Hall 7

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 7

Alex Lane, Commercial Director, DuPont Water Solutions

Hall 7

TBC

Hall 7

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 7

Everything you need to know about the collaborative role of private-public partnerships for water at the city level: what’s working, what isn’t, and what’s next. Panel experts include multilateral development agencies, international banks, and leading cities. Hot topics include scope of projects, costs, co-benefits, stakeholders, timelines, lessons learned, and emerging co-investment mechanisms.

Hall 7

TBC.

Hall 7

The presentations in this session focus on emerging best water practices and focal areas for potential future investment. We’ll look at the newest approaches to water solutions at the city level from around the world, with a particular emphasis on innovations. Topics include barriers to uptake of innovations, how to overcome difficulties in government procurement processes, and working with businesses to obtain new technologies.

Hall 7

Refreshments to be served.

Hall 7

Closing ceremony.

Hall 6

Here we offer guidance to the different financial mechanisms for water delivery and water infrastructure projects from both the private and public side, particularly through public-private partnerships (PPPs). From subsidies to loans – what works, what doesn’t, and how can we do better?

Hall 6

An expert panel on risk management: evaluation mechanisms for the risk of water investments, and the most significant means for mitigating these risks. The spotlight is on new approaches that better account for risks, responses, and opportunities.

Hall 6

New technology and cutting-edge science – what’s on the horizon? This breakout session panel focuses on emerging solutions, insider predictions of future trends, and anticipated breakthroughs.  

Hall 6

Cultural differences are massive; no two cities are the same. W12 brings together many different cultures with distinctly unique approaches to water use and management. In this panel we analyse the differences and offer guidelines for navigating them – a key skill for effective international research and PPP projects

Hall 6

TBC

Hall 6

What careers exist in the water industry? Is it really a viable career choice? What do future career opportunities look like? How do we expect the water industry to transform over the coming decade? The session surveys major employment opportunities: government positions, researchers, industry experts, development practitioners, and more. The session ends with a networking time between employers and potential employees.