Denmark, China to jointly solve global water challenges

Denmark and China are set to deepen technical ties and share experience in water resource management to help solve complex global water challenges under a new initiative, the Danish government's official green affairs organization said Monday.

The initiative, known as Rethink Water, will see 45 Danish water companies, utilities and public authorities share best practice with water sector actors and experts in China to address global water resource problems, the State of Green Consortium said in a press statement.

The first results of this initiative will be released when Danish Minister for Environment Ida Auken makes an official visit to China on Sept. 23-27, it added.

Auken will be accompanied by a delegation of Danish water technology and consultancy companies to strengthen Denmark's commercial profile in the Chinese water services sector.

The initiative comes as China and Denmark face similar problems arising from increasing pressure on limited water resources, urbanization and climate change, and as they are deepening cooperation on water management issues.

In fact, the two countries have already taken the lead on the China-Europe Water Platform, established in March 2012 as a bilateral policy initiative to improve dialogue, joint research and private sector cooperation for better management of water resources.

According to the State of Green Consortium, a cornerstone in the Rethink Water project will be to engage other industries that rely on availability, quality and management of water, such as food and beverage processing, and the fashion and energy industries.

The initiative will generate several authoritative reports or white papers, published in English and Mandarin, focusing on challenges to the water sector arising from urbanization, wastewater treatment, industrial water use and groundwater extraction and management.

Abstracts from the first three white papers, which focus on integrated urban water management, water efficiency in the food and beverages industries, and reduction of water losses in water distribution systems, will be released during Auken's official visit.

The Rethink Water initiative is launched together with Danish Water Forum, an industry association, and the State of Green Consortium, which is a public-private organization.