The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has recently opened general registrations for its 2nd e-Marketplace for a Water-Secure and Resilient Asia and the Pacific. The event hopes to gather key stakeholders from the ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs) and provide them with a platform to discuss the latest digitalization solutions and best practices to deliver smart, resilient, safe, and inclusive water management and services.
To learn more about this initiative, visit ADB's 2nd e-Marketplace for a Water-Secure and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.
Should you be interested to register for the event, you may do so here.
Fresh water supplies are dwindling
The global demand for freshwater is skyrocketing, but this same demand is being counteracted by the continuous depletion of supply. It has been observed that at least 1 out of 6 people lack access to safe water. Additionally, the United Nations (UN) projects that half of the countries worldwide will experience water stress or outages by 2025. By 2050, 3 out of 4 people, globally, will be affected by the worsening water scarcity.
This fact is all the more apparent in Asia and the Pacific. The region has less freshwater supply — with only 3,920 cubic meters per person per year — despite being home to half of the world’s population. Within the next 10 years, it has been forecasted that Asia’s population will grow by 500 million while its urban population is expected to rise by 60%.
There are various factors to recognize when considering the dire situations and immense strain being put on the water resources available through the region:
Rising population growth;
Accelerating urbanization rate;
Water disputes among states and provinces;
Agricultural and industrial pollution;
Lack of policy planning; and
The worsening climate crisis, if left unaddressed
Significantly reducing access to freshwater will likewise lead to a myriad of consequences including impaired food production, the loss of livelihood security, large-scale migration within and across borders, and increased economic and geopolitical tensions.
Asian Development Bank aim to raise awareness
ADB's 2nd e-Marketplace for a Water-Secure and Resilient Asia and the Pacific aims to raise the awareness of participants on innovative products, services, and tools for smart water management as well as promote the uptake of technology for water among DMCs. Selected innovative projects, tools, and publications developed and supported by ADB and its partners will also be presented to the participants. Exhibits will be conducted through virtual booths and interactive sessions to make them more accessible and engaging for participants.
ABD is urging government officials, water utilities, technology solutions providers, vendors, knowledge partners, institutions, and development professionals well-versed in the concerned sector to take part in the e-Marketplace to be held on 18-22 and 25-26 October 2021. Registration is entirely free and will remain open from 2 August to 8 September 2021, for both participants and exhibitors.
The 1st e-Marketplace was successfully launched earlier this year on 15 March 2021, which focused heavily on rural and bulk water services delivery. It was attended by 58 organizations that were able to share their insights and technological solutions with 2,154 participants involved in water and sanitation from both the public and private sectors.
Furthermore, the event could likewise serve as a suitable avenue for companies and individuals looking to connect with potential partners keen on addressing the issue at hand or explore the water and sanitation industry.
Contact the Royal Danish Embassy in the Philippines for more information about business opportunities and how Denmark seeks to inspire green transition in Southeast Asia:
Reza Dadufalza-Goyeneche
Senior Commercial Officer at Royal Danish Embassy in the Philippines
Email: rezgoy@um.dk
Join Green Denmark in Southeast Asia
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