Pacific Focussed Conference Plenary Sessions

Opening Plenary

Our opening plenary commenced with welcomes from Carolyn Evans, Vice-Chancellor and President Professor of Griffith University, Hon Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Kristin Tilley, Australia’s Ambassador for Climate Change and was followed by a moderated discussion with Neeta Pokhrel, Chief of Water Sector Group at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Saroj Jha, Global Director for the The World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice as they sat down with Conference Facilitator Clarissa Brocklehurst and delegates to share their respective experience in their efforts to achieve SDG 6 in a changing climate.

Watch the plenary recording

Monday Afternoon Plenary Discussion

In Monday afternoon’s plenary, an experienced panel discussed how water managers can use both climate science and local knowledge to bridge the gap in understanding climate and water systems. The panel explored the successes and challenges of applying climate science to managing water resources and WASH, and the value and practical ways to integrate local knowledge and Indigenous customary knowledge.

Joining conference facilitator Clarissa Brocklehurst to discuss this important topic is Jane Coram, Director, Land and Water Business Unit, CSIRO; Michelle Hobbs, an Australian Indigenous water scientist at Griffith University descended from the Bidjara people of Central Queensland, and Uatea Salesa, Project Manager, Strengthening Water Security in Vulnerable Island States Project, Secretariat of the Pacific Community and Toby Turner, Environmental, Social, And Governance (ESG) Implementation Manager at Urban Utilities.