Sustainable Management Of Water Resources In Arid Environment Workshop in Dubai

'The Sustainable Management of Water Resources in Arid Environment' workshop is to be held with the support of DaimlerChrysler AG, the European Nature Heritage Fund (Euronatur) and the Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

The Dubai workshop will bring together water experts from a number of Arab countries to discuss their experiences in sustainable water use. In addition, various participants will present projects related to sustainable water use, in line with Agenda 21's call for programmes on "Water for sustainable food production and rural development" and prepare for innovative conservation technologies.

It was also announced that the keynote speech will be given by Dr. Ali S. Altokhais, Deputy Minister for Water Affairs, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The United Nations addressed appropriate management of the world's water resources when it drafted Agenda 21 as a global guide towards sustainable development. Agenda 21's main objective in water management is to make certain that adequate supplies of water of good quality are maintained for the entire population of this planet, while preserving the hydrological, biological and chemical functions of ecosystems, adapting human activities within the capacity limits of nature and combating vectors of water-related diseases.


The Dubai workshop will host a number of high profile speakers representing various prestigious organisations. These include:

Dr. Udo Hartmann, Senior Manager Environmental Protection, DainmlerChrysler, Germany

Dipl.-Ing. Peter Fuhrmann, Head of the Water and Soil Management Division, Ministry of Environment, Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart, Germany

Dr. Herbert Neuland, Executive Director Middle East and Gulf Region, Dornier System Consult Resources Management, Friedrichshafen, Germany

Dr. Theib Oweis, Water Specialist, International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria

Prof. Dr. Joachim Müller, Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences Wageningen University and Research Centre, Wageningen, Netherlands

Prof. Dr. Ing and Dr. h.c. Werner Mühlbauer, Director, Institute of the Agricultural Technique in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Hohenheim, Germany

"Water is a precious resource in the arid countries of the Middle East," said Dr. Herbert Neuland, Director Resources Management & Executive Director, Middle East and Gulf Region, Dornier SystemConsult. "Sustainable development of the area is predicated upon careful use of this essential resource. We hope that this meeting will strengthen regional cooperation on the sustainable management of water resources, and initiate a continuous international dialogue on new and innovative technology and techniques for the wise use of water".

"Nothing can live without water; humans, animals and plants. While in some areas water pours from the sky and drains into the sea, other lands slowly turn to desert without appropriate care. In the drier areas of the world, the careful use of water can mean the difference between famine and plenty, " said Mr. Claus-Peter Hutter, President, European Nature Heritage Fund (Euronatur).

"For DaimlerChrysler, protecting the environment and conserving the natural foundations of life are key elements in our strive to provide sustainable mobility. Our measures for protecting the environment encompass not just production processes but take into account the whole product life cycle-from the utilization of raw materials, product development, production and product use all the way to disposal and recycling," said Dr. Udo Hartmann, Senior Management Environmental Protection, DaimlerChrysler.

"A responsible approach to protecting the environment forms a key aspect of safeguarding the ongoing success of DaimlerChrysler, " said Mr. Per V Rasmussen, President and CEO, DaimlerChrysler Middle East. "We at DaimlerChrysler invest heavily in environment related research. In year 2000 alone, we spent 1.5 billion Euros on environmental protection. The lion's share - 870 million Euros - went into research and development activities for environmentally friendly products and production processes, including fuel cells and low emission engines with improved fuel efficiency,"