Water to Run Dry by 2025

Quezon City, Philippines — Water is an indispensable resource for human existence. It is needed for living, livelihoods, sanitation, agriculture and industry, among others. A resource traditionally viewed to be with an inexhaustible supply, the increasing population, high urban poverty, unabated pollution and other factors, including climate change, are symptoms and causes of a serious water shortage in the next 20 years.To lead the discussion that will explore the exemplary cases of good governance and local actions through the partnership/participation of various stakeholders regarding the impending water crisis, the East Asian Seas (EAS) Congress 2009 has devoted a workshop on "Good policies and practices in water resources protection, restoration, utilization, conservation and management." The Korea Water Forum, German Institute of Science and Technology Pte. Ltd. (GIST) and Philippines' Manila Water and National Water Resources Board (NWRB) have agreed to co-convene the workshop.The EAS Congress 2009 will be held on 23-27 November at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Manila with the theme: "Partnerships at Work: Local Implementation and Good Practices."