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The Future of Water 2040 | Suez, Spain | Matthew Griffin | Sustainability Keynote Speaker
In this session keynote speaker Matthew Griffin discusses the future of water - without which there would be no civilisation. Globally water is under threat but we have the technology to solve the problem today ...
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Griffin, M. (2022) 'The Future of Water 2040 | Suez, Spain | Matthew Griffin | Sustainability Keynote Speaker', 311 Institute, 24 February. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/futurist-keynote-the-future-of-water-2030-suez/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Firstly, it was a great honour to be asked by Suez to take part in their live stream event and join their Head of Digital Phillipe in a discussion about the Future of Water and discuss the options and innovations that governments, utilites, and individuals have at their disposal today to stave off what the United Nations are calling future “Water Wars.”
It’s no secret that by 2030 the UN estimates that 129 countries, including many in Europe, will be experiencing extreme water stress, stress that Spain is already experiencing across 40% of the country as over 50% of the river basins across Europe start experiencing water scarcity.
The Future of Water, by Futurist Speaker Matthew Griffin
Hit by a triple whammy, notably an increase in water demand from consumers and agriculture alike which uses up 70% of all freshwater supplies alone, as local populations and their demand for food swell, and by the impact of climate change many water sources are under pressure like never before. And that’s before we discuss the impact that rising sea levels will have on local freshwater supplies and aquifers, and the impact of pollution.
The net result of all this is that wherever you live on our blue planet it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to avoid the consequences of what’s coming. But, that said today we are developing the solutions that if deployed at speed will perhaps let us stave off the worst of this future. Solutions such as new agriculture and food production techniques, new desalination and filtration systems, smart water solutions, water recycling and reuse, and of course direct air capture systems – all of which I discuss in my presentation and the live stream.
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In this session keynote speaker Matthew Griffin discusses the future of water - without which there would be no civilisation. Globally water is under threat but we have the technology to solve the problem today ...
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Suez suezwatertechnologies.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 24 February 2022. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2022). The Future of Water 2040 | Suez, Spain | Matthew Griffin | Sustainability Keynote Speaker. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/futurist-keynote-the-future-of-water-2030-suez/
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