Sims, David

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University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices9-29-2003Scientists from 30 Nations to Discuss Global WatersystemDavid SimsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationSims, David, "Scientists from 30 Nations to Discuss Global Water system" (2003). UNH Today. 2005.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/200510/13/17, 11(24 AMUNH Media RelationsPage 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/news_releases/2003/september/ds_20030929gwsp.htmlRelated LinksUNH Institute for theStudy of Earth,Oceans, and Space Global Water SystemProjectScientists from 30 Nations to Discuss 'Global Water system'Oct. 7-9 in PortsmouthContact: David Sims603-862-5369 Science WriterInstitute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space Sept. 29, 2003DURHAM, N.H. – When people talk about global change, conversation often centers around therising levels of carbon dioxide and other gases that generate greenhouse warming. But central tothe planet’s climate and overall health is the “global water system,” which is undergoingprofound transformation. Humans have had a huge impact on Earth’s water resources but don’tyet understand how this vast, interconnected system works. Water is important to the entire Earthsystem, as a fundamental part of climate and weather, biology and human societies. ScientistCharles Vörösmarty of the University of New Hampshire is working with colleagues in theUnited States and abroad to pull the parts together to get a clear look at the big picture.Vörösmarty, of UNH’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS), will lead morethan 100 research and social scientists, policy-makers and agency representatives from morethan 30 nations at the Open Science Conference of the Global Water System Project (GWSP) inPortsmouth, N.H., Tuesday through Thursday, Oct. 7-9, 2003. GWSP, co-chaired by Vörösmarty,is an international, multidisciplinary effort to quantify how humans are using and changing theglobal water cycle and develop policies that will help protect the planet’s water resources.“We have begun to articulate the role that humans play on the global stage withrespect to water, and it’s not just climate change that we have to be concerned about, it’s a wholehost of other issues having to do with human health and access to water,” Vörösmarty says.Those other issues include pollution of inland waterways, overusage of water, changes in landcover, problems with erosion, and large reservoirs that block the movement of fish and disruptecosystems. Just as the issue itself is complex, so, too, is the task of bringing together thenumerous and disparate networks of scientists, researchers, and policy-makers who work onvarious aspects of the global water system.Referring to the experts who “must put heads together” to make sense of the water system fromall angles – from biogeochemist to sociologist – Vörösmarty says, “We don’t have a history ofworking together as a community.” And this is where GSWP and its holistic approach to thesubject comes in. “This issue now is one that goes well beyond the climate change question. It’sa multiheaded beast and in order to tackle the question in a coherent manner, we ought to startthinking about ways in which we can integrate our knowledge about the physical,10/13/17, 11(24 AMUNH Media RelationsPage 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/news_releases/2003/september/ds_20030929gwsp.htmlthinking about ways in which we can integrate our knowledge about the physical,biogeochemical, biological, and socioeconomic systems. We’re trying to articulate alldimensions of the issue to see what the future is going to look like.”

Scientists from 30 Nations to Discuss Global Water system

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Scientists from 30 Nations to Discuss Global Water system

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