Water Environment Federation Announces Climate Change Resolution at WEFTEC.06

Dallas, Texas – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) announced a new climate change resolution during the Opening General Session of WEFTEC®.06 this morning in Dallas, Texas. Officially adopted by the Federation’s Board of Trustees on Friday, October 20, the resolution recognizes climate change and its impacts on the planet’s natural hydrologic cycle.

The resolution was announced by WEF President Michael Read following the keynote address by Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies and top climate change scientist. Recognized as the leading U.S. expert on climate change and global warming, Dr. Hansen provided an in-depth overview of the issue, discussed future scenarios, and outlined practical implications to hydrology and water management to an audience of nearly 2,000 water quality professionals.

“Dr. Hansen’s remarks represent an urgent call to action for all of us,” said Read. “This resolution supports WEF’s role as a leader within the water quality community and I am very pleased that the Federation has committed to helping address climate change from a water quality standpoint.”

In summary, the resolution commits WEF to working with its members, members associations, and others to help reduce the impacts of climate change to better prepare the water quality community for its effects. It also urges WEF members and local agencies to become leaders in their own communities by taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from treatment facilities and related operations, and by educating the public. Hard copies of the resolution are available in the WEFTEC.06 press room or online by clicking here.

“I believe that climate change is the paramount environmental issue of our time,” said Read. “The adoption of this resolution is an important step for the Federation and we look forward to working with our members and others to implement it.”

The opening session is the kick-off event of WEFTEC.06 – the Water Environment Federation’s 79th annual technical exhibition and conference. As the largest water quality event in North America, WEFTEC offers the best water quality education and training available today and is a leading source for water quality developments, research, regulations, solutions, and cutting-edge technologies. More than 16,000 attendees and 966 exhibition companies are expected at the Dallas Convention Center for the five-day event. For more information, visit www.weftec.org. 


About WEF
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 76 Member Associations in 30 countries.