Everything we do involves water. To produce the food, to grow the crops, to raise the cattle
that are the basis of our food production, we need water. All our industrial processes
require water - whether it’s mineral extraction, whether it's generation of energy, or manufacturing
of goods, it all requires water. In addition water is the basis of the life support system
of our Earth.
Although we are known as a water planet, a very minor part of that water is actually
available for humans to live on. We need to ensure that we have a safe and reliable supply
for humans.
Why do we have to care, as Canadians, about water? We have the Great Lakes basin, which
is home to one of the largest freshwater resources in the world, and yet a very minor part of
that is actually being recycled. So basically, as we draw water from that, it’s like having
money in the bank. We are taking the money out, and we’re not putting it back. And
so we need to focus on protecting that water stock, as well as focusing on what we are
doing as we transform that water coming in and leaving.
Water has no boundaries. It can go from the terrestrial to the aquatic system. It goes
downstream across different jurisdictions. So we have water that the United States, for
example, depends on a great deal. In fact some of the work that I have done has shown
that many of the Americans are looking to the water supplies of Canada that might sustain
them into the future. Water is an international issue, not just a local one.
In many areas of the world, development is limited by the availability of clean water.
If we can increase the availability of clean water, we automatically will generate
economic prosperity – so there is a direct link between water availability and prosperity.
Green technologies often are essentially mimicking what nature is already doing. So by better
understanding at a fundamental level how a natural process works actually can lead to
the development of new green technologies. The research we are doing is essential to
provide the knowledge base and the facts that are necessary to inform public debate about
water issues and also the knowledge is needed to develop sound policies in terms of water.
Where we are taking this, is starting to work very closely with policy makers. So we are
taking the science that we're learning from the lab and the field, and being able to come
up with tools that governments can then use to protect those water resources on the landscape.
Innovation in water directly implies innovation in the economy. It creates jobs, it leads
to economic prosperity, and it also increases our well-being as humans. It’s an important
part of our lives.