Experts to discuss global water crisis( SEPTEMBER 24 2008 -- Water is a fund...)

SEPTEMBER 24, 2008 -- Water is a fundamental need of all life on our planet; however in this age, the issue of fresh water has become one of conflict and tension. Global water policies are failing to meet the needs of populations, while ecosystems are paying a severe price for the lack of innovation.

With so much at stake for our security and the health of the planet, are our policies going to meet the basic needs of the world's expansive population? Two world-renowned experts on water resources will address these issues in a forum on Sunday evening, 5 October in Houston. The event kicks of a week of scientific discussions during the 2008 Joint Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Soil Science Society of America (SSSA), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and Crop Science Society of America (CSSA).

The forum is the featured 2008 Distinguished York Lecturer, with Peter Gleick, co-founder and President of the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security in Oakland, CA, and Sandra Postel, founder and Director of the Global Water Policy Project in Amherst, MA. The forum will be moderated by Joe Palca, a science correspondent for National Public Radio. It will be held on 5 October from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at the General Assembly Theater of the George R. Brown Convention Center, Houston, TX.

• Peter Gleick's research focuses on the relationship between water and human health, as well as the challenges faced by the global water supply as a result of conflict and terrorism. He is the recipient of the 2003 MacArthur Fellowship "Genius Award", and is the author of the biannual water report, The World's Water. His presentation, "New Thinking on the Path to Sustainable Freshwater Management," will explain his concept of a "soft path" to sustainable water management, which includes decentralized water infrastructure, economic reforms and institutions that focus on individual communities. '/>"/>