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Cecilia Tortajada

Senior Researcher, National University of Singapore

Dr. Cecilia Tortajada is Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Water Policy, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, Singapore. The main focus of her work at present is on the future of the world´s water, especially in terms of water, food, energy and environmental securities through coordinated policies.

She has been an advisor to major international institutions like FAO, UNDP, JICA, ADB, OECD and IDRC, and has worked in countries in Africa, Asia, North and South America and Europe on water and environment-related policies. She is a member of the OECD Initiative in Water Governance.

She is a past President of the International Water Resources Association (2007-2009) and an honorary member of the IWRA. Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Water Resources Development, Associate Editor of Water International, member of the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research, International Journal of Water Governance, Urban Planning and Transport Research Journal, Frontiers in Environmental Science and IWRA (India) Journal, and editor of book series on Water Resources Development and Management of Springer. She is also editor of Springer Briefs on Case Studies on Sustainable Development and on Water Science and Technology; and member of series Advisory Board of Springer Briefs in Earth Sciences, Geography & Earth System Sciences. She is the author and editor of more than 30 books by major international publishers. Her work has been translated into Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish languages.

COVID-19 heightens water problems around the world

Jun 14, 2020 12:30 pm UTC| Life

COVID-19 will unquestionably delay achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the latest global attempt to improve the quality of life of billions of people around the world by 2030. Increasing access to...

How new Silk Road will cement China as major trading partner for Africa

Aug 21, 2018 16:12 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

In 138 BC China took its first step towards global connectivity with the establishment of the historical Silk Road. Zhang Qian was sent by Emperor Wudi to Central Asia to establish trade relationships. His historic...

Why smart policies are key to solving the world’s clean water problems

Jul 19, 2018 16:15 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Around 2.5 to 3 billion people worldwide dont have access to clean water. There are at least another 1.5 billion in developed countries who may have access to clean water but dont trust its quality. A number of widely...

New Delhi is running out of water

Jul 11, 2017 20:08 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

As summer temperatures soar above 40C in New Delhi, acute water shortages are gripping parts of Indias capital. Signs of water stress are now everywhere, and residents in southern and western parts of the city have not...

India's wells are running dry, fast

Jun 17, 2017 16:23 pm UTC| Insights & Views Nature

Over the past three years, the monsoon the rainy season that runs from June through September, depending on the region has been weak or delayed across much of India, causing widespread water shortages. With the onset...

Reshaping NAFTA could be good for Mexico's economy (and Brazil's and Argentina's, too)

Apr 18, 2017 13:39 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Among other threats targeting Mexico during his election campaign, US President Donald Trump harshly criticised the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a 23-year-old tripartite deal that removed tariffs and...

Bhutan and Nepal: two 'least developed countries' that could change the face of Asia

Dec 21, 2016 07:17 am UTC| Insights & Views

According to a recent UN report, 48 of the worlds most vulnerable countries will lose ground in economic development and face increasing levels of poverty between now and 2030. The 2016 report of the United Nations...

Economy

Asian Markets Slide as Nvidia Earnings, U.S.-Iran Tensions and AI Valuations Weigh on Investor Sentiment

Asian stock markets declined on Friday as investors pulled back from risk assets, pressured by concerns over elevated technology valuations and persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Despite strong quarterly...

Gold Prices Steady in Asia, Set for Strong February Gains on Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices held firm during Asian trading on Friday, positioning the precious metal for solid monthly gains as rising geopolitical tensions and global economic uncertainty boosted safe-haven demand. Investors continued to...

Venezuela Oil Exports to Reach $2 Billion Under U.S.-Led Supply Agreement

Venezuelas oil exports under a flagship oil supply agreement with the United States are projected to reach $2 billion by the end of February, according to U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. Speaking to reporters in...

Stock Market Movers: Dell, Block, Duolingo, Zscaler, CoreWeave, Autodesk, Rocket, MARA

Major U.S. stocks posted sharp moves following earnings reports, updated guidance, and strategic announcements, driving heightened activity across the broader stock market. Dell Technologies (DELL) surged 11% after...

PBOC Scraps FX Risk Reserves to Curb Rapid Yuan Appreciation

Chinas central bank has taken fresh steps to manage the rapid appreciation of the yuan, signaling concern over the currencys recent strength against the U.S. dollar. On Friday, the Peoples Bank of China (PBOC) announced it...

Politics

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Meets President Trump to Tackle Housing Crisis and ICE Detentions

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described his latest White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump as productive, highlighting discussions on affordable housing and recent student detentions by federal...

U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Show Progress but No Breakthrough Amid Rising Military Tensions

The United States and Iran reported progress in high-stakes negotiations over Tehrans nuclear program, but no final agreement was reached, leaving the threat of potential U.S. military action still looming. Mediator Oman...

Philippines, U.S., and Japan Conduct Joint Naval Drills in South China Sea to Boost Maritime Security

The navies of the Philippines, the United States, and Japan carried out joint military exercises in the South China Sea this week, reinforcing defense cooperation and regional maritime security. The Armed Forces of the...

Denver Mayor Orders Police to Protect Protesters, Restricts ICE Access to City Property

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has signed a new executive order directing city police to protect peaceful protesters during federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and prohibiting ICE agents from using...

USITC to Review Impact of Revoking China’s PNTR Status, Potentially Raising Tariffs on Chinese Imports

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) announced Thursday that it will investigate the economic impact of revoking Chinas Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, a move that could significantly increase...

Science

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nintendo Share Sale: MUFG and Bank of Kyoto to Sell Stakes in Strategic Unwinding

Nintendo is reportedly preparing a major unwinding of strategic cross-shareholdings that could see MUFG Bank and the Bank of Kyoto sell significant stakes in the iconic Super Mario maker. According to sources familiar with...

Hyundai Motor Group to Invest $6.26 Billion in AI Data Center, Robotics and Renewable Energy Projects in South Korea

Hyundai Motor Group has signed a landmark agreement with the South Korean government to invest approximately 9 trillion won ($6.26 billion) in major industrial and technology projects along the countrys western coast....

Anthropic Refuses Pentagon Request to Remove AI Safeguards Amid Defense Contract Dispute

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the company will not comply with a Pentagon request to remove critical AI safeguards, despite reported threats that the Department of Defense (DoD) could cut ties and block the firm from its...

Meta Signs Multi-Billion Dollar AI Chip Deal With Google to Power Next-Gen AI Models

Meta Platforms has reportedly entered a multi-billion dollar agreement with Google to rent advanced artificial intelligence chips, marking a major step in the intensifying race to dominate AI infrastructure. According to...

Coupang Reports Q4 Loss After Data Breach, Revenue Misses Estimates

Coupang reported a fourth-quarter loss and revenue below market expectations, as the South Korean e-commerce giant continues to grapple with the fallout from a massive data breach. The company posted $8.8 billion in...