Water scarcity and shocks trigger wide-ranging impacts on poverty, instability and the economy. Addressing these risks will demand deeper understanding of the complex linkages between water, the economy and sustainable development. It will also require new evidence and tools to guide investment and interventions to measure and manage the risks across a range of contexts, scales and threats.

This event convenes leading experts from the World Bank, Oxford, Australian National University and UK Department for International Development to take stock of the emerging evidence. It will preview findings from a major World Bank study addressing the connections between water and the economy, and the effectiveness of different responses, including analysis of the: * Effects of rainfall shocks on land use and agricultural yields; * Impacts of rainfall shocks on human capital and firm performance; * Policy options to address water scarcity and enhance freshwater resilience.
Visiting experts will discuss these issues with researchers from the Oxford Water Network, building on over five years of interdisciplinary research investigating the human and natural dimensions of water security from a risk-based perspective.

An opening presentation by Dr Richard Damania of the World Bank will be followed by a set of two moderated panels to debate the emerging evidence about the scale and nature of the threats, and the options for innovative solutions.

Moderator:
Dr Dustin Evan Garrick, Lecturer and Co-Director, Water Programme, the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment.

Panellists

World Bank * Dr Richard Damania, Global Lead Economist, World Bank Water Practice; * Dr Aude-Sophia Rodella, Economist at the Poverty Reduction, Gender and Equity Unit, for the Latin America and Caribbean region; * Dr Scott Moore, Young Professional.
Australian National University * Prof Quentin Grafton, UNESCO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance.
UK Department for International Development * Jean-Paul Penrose, Senior Water Adviser.
University of Oxford * Dr Katrina Charles, Co-Director, REACH; * Dr Simon Dadson, Associate Professor in Physical Geography; * Prof David Grey, Visiting Professor of Water Policy; * Prof Jim Hall, Director, Environmental Change Institute; * Dr Robert Hope, Associate Professor and Director, REACH; * Ranu Sinha, DPhil Candidate and Indira Gandhi Scholar, Somerville College.