Robert Brears
Circular water economy: scaling reuse and recovery for climate-resilient systems
A circular water economy reimagines how water is managed: shifting from a linear model of extraction, use, and discharge to one where water is reused and recove…
Using nature to treat wastewater
Constructed wetlands are recognised as a reliable wastewater treatment technology that can treat many types of wastewater. Read how Irish Water is putting natur…
South Australia’s Water Utility Greening the Future
Renewable energy will play a significant role in building a green future, generating economic growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Read how SA Water …
Creating a net zero carbon future
The water sector is energy-hungry and is responsible for a significant amount of global greenhouse gas emissions. The water sector is energy-hungry, with energ…
The Green Economy and the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
The green economy enables economic growth and investment while increasing environmental quality and social inclusiveness. A key aspect of the green economy is t…
Scaling-up nature-based solutions to water challenges
Green Bonds are becoming a main source of funding to scale-up nature-based solutions to water challenges. In the 21st century, society is faced with a variety o…
The circular water economy is thriving
A variety of locations are implementing circular economy concepts that promote the reduction of water consumption, reuse of water, and recovery of materials fro…
Developing the circular water economy
In our current economic model, manufactured capital, human capital, and natural capital all contribute to human welfare by supporting the production of goods an…
Water in the Post-COVID-19 Green Economy
The post-COVID-19 reconstruction phase should be centred around the green economy, the concept of which enables economic growth and investment while increasing …
Top 5 ways to cut water-energy-carbon nexus pressures
The water sector is implementing a range of best practices to reduce water-energy-carbon nexus pressures. Abstracting, treating, and conveying water requires si…
Industrialized water solutions
In the linear economy, following the Take-Make-Dispose model, the water sector typically employs the Take-Use-Discharge strategy. In this strategy, water is ‘wi…
The Hydrogen-Water-Climate Nexus
As the world transitions towards a low-carbon future, the role of hydrogen as an energy storage solution has the potential to decarbonize many industries and to…
Nature-based solutions to 21st-century challenges
In the 21st Century, society is faced with a variety of climatic and non-climatic challenges that can lead to abrupt, and in some cases, irreversible environmen…
Financing water security
Water security around the world is at risk from climate change, rapid urbanisation and economic growth, increased demand for energy and food as well as other tr…
Water supplies of the future
Even after the successful implementation of demand management strategies to balance rising demand with limited supplies of water, there are regions around the w…
The rise of the machines (in managing water)
Water utilities are faced with increasing demand for water resources while at the same time needing to become more efficient in the use of resources, including …
Food waste powering wastewater treatment plants
Wastewater treatment plants are one of the most significant users of energy in the urban water supply. Recognizing water-energy nexus pressures, a number of lea…
A greener and brighter future for cities
Cities are turning to Blue-Green Infrastructure solutions that utilize ecosystem services in the management of water resources while providing multiple co-benef…
Water-efficient urban farms sprouting up
By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will be living in cities, concentrating demand for both food and water. Recognizing these challenges, many cities, …
Building Green Cities
Many cities are turning to green infrastructure solutions that utilize nature’s ecosystem services in the management of water resources and associated climatic …