Plenaries and Panel Debates

Opening Session

The Opening Plenary session was held on Monday 13 August from 10:00-17:00 and was highlighted by leading expert speakers, as well as a high level panel discussion on 'Water, Climate, and Vulnerability'.

Opening Session Schedule

Monday, August 13
10:00-17:00, Folkets Hus, Congress Hall

Chair: Mr. Johan Kuylenstierna, Project Director, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Adjunct Professor, Stockholm University

10:00 Cultural Event

10:15 Welcome
Mr. Anders Berntell, Executive Director, SIWI

10:25 Official Opening Address
H.E. Mr. Fredrik Reinfeldt, Prime Minister of Sweden

10:40 Keynote Speaker
Ms. Kristina Axén Olin, Mayor of Stockholm

10:55 Keynote Speaker
Water for Thirsty Cities
H.E. Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, Under-Secretary-General of the
United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations
Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT)

11:25 2007 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate Lecture
Our Symbiosis with Microbes – The Great Systems of Nature
Prof. Perry L. McCarty, Stanford University, California, USA

12:00 Lunch

13:30 World Water Week Opening Session Continues
Introduction by Chair Prof. Jan Lundqvist,
Chair of the Scientific Programme Committee, SIWI

13:35 A personal reflection on progress and prospects
Ms. Margaret Catley-Carlson,
Chair, Global Water Partnership (GWP), United Nations
Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB)

13:55 Dr. Vaclav Smil,
Distinguished Professor, University of Manitoba, Canada

14:15 Building dignity, not toilets!
Mr. Joe Madiath,
Executive Director, Gram Vikas, India

14:35 Climate Change and Water Resources
Dr. Monirul Mirza,
Coordinating Lead Author (CLA), IPCC's Synthesis Report,
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

15:00 Coffee Break

15:30 High Level Panel Discussion: “Climate, Water and Vulnerability”

H.E. Mrs. Lindiwe Hendricks
Minister, Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa

Prof. Jörg Imberger
University of Western Australia

Prof. Pavel Kabat
Chair and Science Director, Earth System Science & Climate
Change Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre

Ms. Sunita Narain
Director, Centre for Science and Environment, India

Dr. Monirul Mirza
Coordinating Lead Author (CLA), IPCC's Synthesis Report,
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Mr. Claes Johansson
Co-author, Human Development Report,
UNDP Human Development Report Office

Mr. Colin R. Sabol
Vice President - Marketing & Business Development,
ITT Fluid Technology, ITT Corporation, USA

17:00 End of Opening Session