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Good morning, this is Michelle. The world’s wells are running dry and the number of people without access to water is increasing. A Dutch start-up has a solution: give our wastewater a second life.

In other news, pandemics treaty talks continued this week with most states agreeing on what type of deal they want, and the UN sounds the alarm bells on rights abuses in Afghanistan.

Plus, we spoke to the UN rights expert on Sudan amid worsening violence and protests since the military coup last year.

photo journaliste

Michelle Langrand

22.07.2022


Water recycling solution recognised at inaugural WIPO Global Awards


Photo article

Arthur Valkieser, CEO, and Sabine Stuiver, CMO, of Hydraloop accept their award at the WIPO Global Awards. (Credit: WIPO/Berrod)

Water recycling solution recognised at inaugural WIPO Global Awards Whether from climate change impacts, pollution or overpopulation, much of the world does not have adequate access to fresh water. Even in places where access to clean water exists, the systems in place are not sustainable. Most household water – the water we use when we brush our teeth, take a shower, wash our clothes, or any number of activities – quickly ends up back down the drain.

Hydraloop, a start-up from the Netherlands, has developed a solution to reduce and recycle household water waste. Hydraloop’s treatment tanks look like high-end refrigerators but inside, a complex system can save up to 45 per cent of house water consumption.

The company was one of five winners in the first-ever World Intellectual Property (WIPO) Global Awards, held in Geneva last week.The awards ceremony celebrated solutions focusing on economic, social and cultural progress, with an emphasis on intellectual property rights. The winners were chosen by a seven-person international jury from 272 submissions across 62 countries.

Read the full story on Geneva Solutions (EN)

Interview of the day


Photo article

Adama Dieng, previously the UN’s special adviser on the prevention of genocide, was appointed UN rights expert on Sudan in the wake of the coup last year. (Credit: UNMISS/Eric Kanalstein, 2016)

UN expert on Sudan calls for halt in violent crackdown against protesters. Adama Dieng, the UN's human rights expert on Sudan, has called for accelerated investigations into killings of protesters and other human rights abuses, since a military coup plunged the country into further crisis last year. He speaks to Geneva Solutions about his two recent visits to Sudan and the worsening political situation in the country.

Geneva Solutions (EN)

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