Jonathan Porritt at UK Groundwater Forum

Jonathan Porritt will be a key speaker at the 10th Annual UK Groundwater Forum Conference at the Natural History Museum, London on 14th May 2009. The theme of the meeting is 'Groundwater: A 2020 Vision – Challenges for the Future'.

Since it was launched in 1995, the UK Groundwater Forum has run a series of one-day conferences on topical issues relevant to the management of groundwater resources, enabling water companies, regulators and researchers to debate the supply of clean water resources for future generations. 2009 is the tenth anniversary of these conferences and to mark this occasion a number of eminent speakers have been invited to explore the major challenges for groundwater management in the future.

The Forum is delighted to announce the involvement of Jonathon Porritt, Programme Director of Forum for the Future and Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission to set the sustainable development context for the presentations that follow.

The groundwater management challenges will be presented from the perspective of major players, including the environmental regulators, the water industry and private users. Specific issues including ground heat management and emerging pollutants will also be addressed, and the degree to which research is addressing the needs of managers of the environment and water supplies will be explored.

Denis Peach, UK Groundwater Forum, said "These are challenging times for the water sector particularly with the uncertainty caused by climate change. The most vulnerable parts of the country are the areas most reliant on groundwater. The awareness amongst the public of this underground resource is generally poor - the aim of the UK Groundwater Forum over the last 15 years has been to raise awareness. The Forum also brings together professionals to discuss the issues and this is what will be happening at the Natural History Museum on the 14th May. How can we best manage our groundwater resources over the coming 10 years?".