We were happy to see so many in attendance at Swedish Water  House's “Mingle-seminar” last Friday.

 
 After a short introduction by Göran Ek of Naturskyddsföreningen of the launched policy brief " Adapting Water Management of Climate Change" (Att säkra vattenresurser i ett förändrat klimat) prepared by Swedish Water House's Cluster Group for Climate, Water and Vulnerability, opening remarks and response to the main issues raised in the policy brief were made by Elin Einfors, Stockholm University and Bo Kjellin, Stockholm Environment Institute. They stressed the importance of encouraging adaptive capacities of vulnerable people and ecosystems to the effects of current climate variability and future climate change and the need to focus on climate - water issues especially in the context of the upcoming climate negotiations at COP 15.

Short comments were also made by the parliament members Sofia Arkelsten (M), Per Bolund (MP), and Birgitta Ohlsson (FP) of their thoughts, expectations and hopes regarding mitigation and adaptation issues. They stressed the need for global unified action and the importance that Sweden takes action in a concrete and influential manner. But they also expressed concern that different countries and governments may prioritise other issues before climate.

Open statements and questions from the floor further penetrated the issues of how to increase awareness and prioritise water and climate issues and how we, at different scales and in different contexts, within Sweden and the EU, can work positively to meet the climate-related challenges ahead of us. 
 
 by Julie Wilk, Ph. D at SMHI