The conference was closely aligned with PSIPW’s vision of scientific innovation serving humanity’s water needs.

According to the organisers, the conference was “centred on the social responsibility that people have towards future generations and the need for innovation to generate new and ever more environmentally friendly options to support water needs.”

Its agenda focused primarily on new horizons for the development of desalination and water treatment technology that will enable the development and implementation of renewable desalination and the pursuit of more sustainable options.

Dr. Abdulmalek A. Al Alsheikh, PSIPW’s General Secretary, gave the keynote address, where he emphasised the importance of desalination to serving humanity’s future water needs. Speaking about PSIPW’s dedicated Alternative Water Resources Prize, he said: “Desalination is essential if we are to meet humanity’s ever-growing demand for water, and we need to find innovative scientific solutions that make desalination more effective, efficient, and inexpensive.”

Many past winners of the Alternative Water Resources Prize were recognised for work with direct relevance for desalination.