Economic Growth with Fewer Resources?

German American Water Forum

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Nov 07, 2011, 01:05 ET

BERLIN and CHICAGO, November 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Carbon dioxide emissions skyrocketed in 2010, according to new data. This is due largely to fossil fuel burning in developing countries. But Germany shows that economic growth and consumption of natural resources can also be uncoupled. Germany is a leading exporter of technologies that help conserve resources - especially water and energy - in industrial production processes. Currently Germany is the leading exporter of water efficiency technologies with a 19 percent global market share. Germany Trade & Invest is co-hosting the German American Water Forum on November 8 in Chicago and November 10 in Cincinnati to discuss the economic benefits of efficient production processes.

With a global population now officially above 7 billion, water scarcity is even an issue in parts of the industrialized world. Companies that pioneer new technology in this field can benefit from growing demand for these innovations. The market for sustainable water solutions in the US is expected to triple from $4 billion to $15 billion by 2020, according to experts.

German research and development in water technology leads Europe, with more patents registered in this field than any other country except the USA. Policy frameworks support both research and commercialization, with European initiatives such as the Roadmap to a Resource Efficient Europe creating opportunities for businesses while ensuring a sustainable water supply. Germany recently announced its hopes to carry this one step further and become a "world champion in resource efficiency", according to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

Germany Trade & Invest water efficiency expert Flérida Regueria Cortizo will speak about German-American business opportunities at this week's events, organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest and the Transatlantic Climate Bridge Initiative of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. Other speakers include Colin Enssle of GE Power & Water and Sally Gutierrez of the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities in the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

Germany Trade & Invest
Andreas Bilfinger
Email: [email protected]
T: +49(0)30-200099-173
F: +49(0)30-200099-511

SOURCE Germany Trade and Invest