DENVER — Robert W. Bailey, president of CH2M HILL’s Water Business Group and member of the firm’s board of directors, was recently appointed to the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Water Security. He currently serves on the Water Initiative Steering Board of the World Economic Forum and has written a chapter about water scarcity for the Forum’s book “Water Security: The Water-Food-Energy-Climate Nexus.”

In 2008, the World Economic Forum created the Global Agenda Councils to address the most pressing issues in the global arena. Each council comprises relevant thought leaders from academia, government, business, and other fields. The council members are charged with: sharing their knowledge on each key issue; monitoring key trends; identifying global risks; mapping interrelationships; and addressing knowledge gaps with the goal of putting forth ideas and recommendations that address their global challenges.

As a member of the Global Agenda Council on Water Security, Bailey will be part of a team focused on the threat water insecurity poses to the economic development and security of numerous countries. The council has been convened to address how decision-makers can meet the world's future water, energy, food, and industrial demands within the confines of tightening water constraints. The council will endeavor to establish the multidisciplinary and multistakeholder platforms required to discuss, highlight, and collectively take action on shared water challenges as they relate to water supply, investment, allocation, regulation, and conservation.

“It is recognized that water availability will shape the path of economic growth around the world,” said Bailey. “I commend the World Economic Forum for establishing a council focused on water security and bringing thought leaders together to address this critical issue. I look forward to being a part of the council and working together to ensure global water resources are properly managed for generations to come.”