It is an urgent theme for our international society, how to secure sustainable water resources and how to solve water issue confronting seriously worldwide. The 3rd World Water Forum, which is held in Kyoto, Japan on March 2003, aims to establish Action Plans toward the solution of water issue. In other words, the 3rd WWF is expected to be the time for Action Plans to the water issue rather than for the discussion on Visions.
Under these circumstances, seawater desalination technology using the renewable energy would be highly effective method as a countermeasure for the water issue. Various renewable energy, such as solar, wind power, and ocean thermal energy are getting more popular year by year and these renewable energies can be utilized easily for operation of state-of-art desalination plant.
One of the most important themes for the sustainable development in Asia and South Pacific regions is to promote the utilization of pollution-free and renewable energy. These depend on regional characteristics as to which type of renewable energy would be most favorable for their own use. For example, Pacific Island Countries have abundant renewable energy resource in ocean as well as solar and particularly have the most favorable condition in the world to obtain thermal energy from seawater temperatures differences between surface and deep seawater. We greatly hope the effective utilization of these renewable energies in the pacific region for the sustainable development. Within the context of the development of renewable energy, we hope the participants will build new partnership during this Forum to achieve our goals.
This Forum on Desalination using Renewable Energy has been jointly organized by Saga University and our government, Republic of Palau. I take great pride in that this Forum is held in our country and it is my greatest honor and pleasure as Chairman of Executive Committee to welcome many of head of States and delegations in Asia and Pacific regions, doctors and researchers, NGOs as well as engineers from private sector. I appreciate for your participation and cordial cooperation to this Forum and wish your support to integrate and send our messages through Pre World Water Forum in Saga to the 3rd World Water Forum Kyoto.
Kuniwo Nakamura,
Chairman of Executive Committee
Forum on Desalination using Renewable Energy
(Former President, Republic of Palau)