Water and Society: How do we achieve social transformation?

The forum will be introduced by Dr Richard Walley, OAM, Noongar man and one of Australia’s leading Aboriginal performers, artists and writer.

The importance of water and its impact on society will continue to be one of the key challenges for future generations struggling with droughts, floods and the availability of clean drinking water. The need for cross-disciplinary strategies to deal with the global, financial, ecological and societal issues is the focus of this panel, which will explore the social transformations needed to support water sensitive cities, including community attitudes and behavioural change, governance and economic assessment practices, management systems and technological innovations. Developing a richer understanding of the underpinning social norms and behaviours will, along with scientific research, provide guidance on the reform of institutional rules and economic and regulatory frameworks for water sensitive decisions, policies and practices. The ultimate goal is to deliver policy tools and practical guidance that will facilitate the adoption of appropriate new technologies and social, institutional, regulatory and economic reforms that are mutually reinforcing, flexible and adaptable to different social scales and contexts.

Professor Michael Burton will discuss the acceptability of water restrictions and recycling on a drying continent as responses to the growing potable water shortages in Australia. Professor Anas Ghadouani’s will discuss water engineering and science in a changing world that requires more focus on integrated and multifunctional systems that can respond not only to diverse demands. Professor Alex Gardner will examine regulatory renovation for risk management of alternative water sources and managed aquifer recharge from an Australian perspective. Professor Carmen Lawrence will explore how to use normative feedback to reduce household water use, identified as an important policy goal, especially in regions, such as Western Australia, where climate change is producing lower rainfall and higher evaporation rates.

Event Details

This Forum is sponsored by the Institute of Advanced Studies, the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, the Centre for the Study of Social Change and the Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy at The University of Western Australia.

When: Thursday 16 May, 6pm-8pm

Where: Banquet Hall University Club, UWA

Cost: Free but rsvp is required by 9 May.

Speakers

• Professor Michael Burton, School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UWA
• Associate Professor Alex Gardner, Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law, UWA
• Associate Professor Anas Ghadouani, Deputy Head, School of Environmental Systems Engineering, UWA and Head of the WA Node of the CRC for Water Sensitive Cities
• Winthrop Professor Carmen Lawrence, Director of the Centre for the Study of Social Change, School of Psychology, UWA and Chair of the Australian Heritage Council.