NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Water is the most important resource on this planet, and a significant proportion of global investment and infrastructure is concerned with ensuring its supply, management, quality, and transportation.  Every €1 invested in clean water can yield €4–€13 in economic returns, but when its use becomes unsustainable and its supply limited, polluted, or even too abundant during flood events, our society and its infrastructure can fail.

All forms of development interact with water at a physical, policy, regulatory, social, or cultural level.  In the face of future climate change adaptation and mitigation, new infrastructure will need to be resilient to both current and future hydrological risks. The impact assessment (IA) of water effects for new infrastructure or water-relevant policies, plans, and programs (through EIA or SEA, for example) is a complex and critical step within the appraisal of investment, operational, or future sustainable management cycles.

This IAIA symposium aims to:  Advance a multidisciplinary discussion about the challenges and opportunities associated with the management of water-related impacts across investment sectors; support IA professionals in effectively meeting challenges associated with water IA, management, and planning; and promote new approaches in impact assessment.