Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies (GSICS), Kobe University
On June 27th (Thursday), we invited Professor Toru Konishi, a visiting professor at Tokyo Metropolitan University and former Senior Water Resource Economist at the World Bank, to deliver a lecture on the topic “Global Water Crisis: How to Manage Water Better?” addressing issues related to global water resources. Professor Konishi began by pointing out that only 4% of the world’s water resources are usable as drinking water and provided basic information about water resources based on data. Next, he discussed the relationship between water resource issues and other development issues, emphasizing water resources as a central challenge in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of understanding water resource issues from interdisciplinary perspectives, including economics, engineering, sociology, and public policy. He then used Pakistan and Laos as case studies to illustrate the current state of flood disasters and the unique problems these countries face due to their regional characteristics.
Drawing on Professor Konishi’s practical experience, he pointed out that the perspective of international organizations to issues related to water resources may be different from those of other actors, such as NGOs engaged in grassroots activities, because international development banks such as the World Bank require a wide and long-term view, including the sharing of water resources among nations and their impact on local economies, while ensuring access to poor people. After the lecture, a Q&A session with the students was held, during which Professor Konishi answered a wide range of questions based on his extensive knowledge and experience. Through this study session, we learned that as environmental issues become more severe globally, water resource issues are complex problems that span multiple nations and require interdisciplinary knowledge and perspectives to understand and address effectively.
Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Keiichi Ogawa for hosting this invaluable seminar and Professor Toru Konishi for his informative and stimulating lecture.
Authored by Takumi Koike (Master’s student)
