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Ladies and gentlemen
It is a great pleasure to see so many distinguished people gathered here today in San Francisco to celebrate the launch of the Water Technology Alliance.
On behalf of the Danish government, I would like to thank all of you who made this event possible.
As you can see, I am not the Danish Prime Minister.
He apologises for not being here, but he had to attend the funeral of former Danish Prime Minister, Anker Jørgensen.
As the Danish minister of education and science I am very happy to join you here in sunny California on his behalf.
Because rather than saying goodbye to someone, tonight we have the pleasure of giving birth to a great new venture where Danish science can help solve American challenges.
The problem?
In California your blessings from the sun have also brought difficulties.
You have felt the dire consequences of climate change, water pollution and water shortages.
Over the last several years you have experienced a severe drought.
And though you are working on promising solutions and legislation to curb the problem, the current water shortage will still be an issue in the decades to come.
And you are not alone. Other states here in the U.S. and countries in Africa and the Middle East are also suffering.
Limited water resources have become an urgent global problem.
Last year, the World Economic Forum rated this issue among one of the top global threat to human prosperity and well-being.
Water Technology Alliance
As I understand it, San Francisco is already extremely committed to dealing with the water issue.
And California is in so many ways known as a progressive state with a collective will to create change.
That is why I am so happy that we are joined tonight by the Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Senior Office from Governor Brown’s staff.
We have a shared interest to ensure the best possible conditions for our citizens to live and thrive in.
This is an issue where a lot can be gained through cooperation and exchange of experience.
As a representative of the Danish Government I am proud to share with California some of the particular competences Denmark has within this field.
We have to decide how to reduce, reuse and recycle – and we have to do it in a sustainable way.
The Water Technology Alliance provides a great framework for approaching these critical questions in a holistic manner - by identifying solutions towards sustainable growth and societal stability.
It is a knowledge-sharing alliance between some of the world’s finest developers of water solutions - in one of the most vibrant, creative and innovative places in the world.
We have to bring the brightest minds together to develop sustainable solutions to our common challenges. We have to learn from each other.
And we have to share our knowledge and replicate best practices on how to secure safe and clean drinking water, but also on reducing, reusing and recycling our water re-sources.
Danish knowledge and experience
In Denmark we have a lot of experience, as well as strong competences in dealing with the full water circle.
Two weeks ago, some of the companies illustrated this at the White House Water Summit by using a LEGO model, displaying Danish water competencies and experiences.
The event became a meeting point between Danish solutions and American decision makers.
We are eager to share our knowledge with you, but we also want to learn from you to the mutual benefit of both parties.
While drought is not an issue in Denmark, we certainly have had issues with depleted water resources and groundwater contamination.
We have had to be creative to turn challenges into benefits.
A good example is that our new waste water treatment plants are producing more energy than they use, by utilizing wastewater without adding other bio materials.
You could say that they are giving us MORE FOR LESS. Suddenly, wastewater is a resource, and the treatment becomes good business!
Conclusion
I think it is safe to say that by coming together – by sharing ideas and knowledge – we can save lives, create new technologies and achieve MORE FOR LESS.
That is why I think that the Water Technology Alliance is an important part of the solution to solving not only the challenge that you face here in California, but on a global scale.
If we band together, I am confident that that we can achieve our goals.
And in addition, we may inspire others in their pursuit of solutions to the global challenges confronting us all.
Thank you.