Delegates in Aberdeen passed Energy Minister Stephen Gethins' resolution declaring domestic oil and gas production, reviewed by climate compatibility assessments, "clearly preferable to importation", after he urged them to vote down a trade union amendment asking Westminster to raise profit levies on fossil fuel extractors.
The former chair of the Independent Water Commission addressed IWA delegates in Glasgow as the government prepares to replace Ofwat with a single regulator — and as England remains in drought.
An IWA forum compared rainwater policy in Australia, Flanders, San Francisco and Hamburg, as Professor Han Mu-young was honoured for his rainwater work — with England still in drought.
In a Glasgow keynote, Buisman argued that water innovation has to move beyond producing new ideas to making a meaningful difference in practice — a challenge for a sector where new technology can take more than a decade to reach the mainstream.
Government, UN, utility and regulator leaders at IWA’s “Water for People” summit said institutions, people, finance and maintenance decide whether services work — as 2.1 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water ahead of December’s UN Water Conference.
The Sarawak capital will be the first city in the region to host the International Water Association’s flagship congress — and arrives with a state water grid, a newly merged utility and a purpose-built convention centre in the making.
Photo: Bill Gray · Recorded on site
Speakers from the Institute of Water, Defra, Hazen and Sawyer and Arup told a Glasgow session that the sector needs lifelong learning, leadership and critical thinking, not only more recruits.
Photo: Bill Gray · Recorded on site
Simulator built on the firm's control room product drew 110 registrations for 48 seats. Tony Summerscales also discussed AI triage and street works compliance.
Photo: Supplied
IPGN Solutions brought its voice reporting app for field inspectors to the IWA World Water Congress in Glasgow, as it looks beyond energy to water utilities.