News stories by Torgny Holmgren

STOCKHOLM, Mar 20 (IPS) - Torgny Holmgren is Executive Director, Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)    This article is part of a series of stories and op-eds launched by IPS on the occasion of World Water Day on March 22.Going into World Water Day, I have an ambivalent feeling. This year's theme The Answer is in Nature can sound almost like mockery considering how badly parts of the world have been hit in recent years due to water-related natural disasters, be it floods, storms or droughts.

STOCKHOLM, Mar 21 (IPS) - Water is a finite resource. With a growing population, an expanding global middle class and a rise in energy and industrial production, the demand for water is reaching new levels. According to the OECD, global demand for freshwater will increase by 55 percent between 2000 and 2050. By 2050 it is expected that roughly 6.4 billion people will live in cities, making urban water management an essential building block for resilience and sustainable growth.