The Goyder Institute for Water Research conducted its biennial Water Forum on the 4th and 5th of July 2017.

Held at the University of Adelaide, the event delivered a range of presentations and discussions on Goyder Institute projects, along with exceptional research from other South Australian and International water projects.

The Water Forum had stimulating discussion, technical and academic presentations from 58 water industry leaders, as well as six keynote speakers, including Hon. Ian Hunter MLC, Chief Executive of DEWNR, Sandy Pitcher and zoologist Prof Kristofer Helgen.

Two steams of presentations each day covered a range of topics including groundwater, climate action, healthy ecosystems and carbon and coastal environments. 

The Water Forum Dinner at the National Wine Centre followed proceedings on day one where guests were treated to a delicious three-course dinner with drinks and two fabulous guest speakers: Former head of CSIRO Land and Water, Dr John Williams, and climate scientist Prof Andy Pitman. 

Dr Williams, one of Australia’s most respected and trusted scientists with extensive experience in providing national and international thought-leadership in natural-resource management, spoke about the state of water policy reform in Australia. He said reform has stopped in Australia and Governments appear to be asleep at the wheel at a time when they should be preparing for the next drought and building Australia’s resilience against climate change and the shocks of droughts and floods.

Professor Pitman, a climate modeller with a major focus on terrestrial processes in global and regional climate models, treated the audience to an entertaining look at climate extremes and how these are likely to change in the future, along with transformative research in climate science.

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