CRI听力:World Water Week Opens with Water and Energy amidst Rapid Urbanization

Doctor Li Lailai, China Director of the World Resources Institute says sustainable supplies of water and energy are intensifying in China as human demand continues to grow.

She says water conservation is becoming a critical issue.

"We do have a program called sustainable cities. Water is not like energy, for energy we have tried to improve the efficiency and we try to develop renewable energy as substitute for fossil fuels, we don't have substitute for water, when we look at water and energy, they're interfaced, so our strategy is to close the loop from resources to waste, I think saving energy means saving water."

Zhong Lijin with the World Resources Institute says the city Qingdao in Shandong is one example of where programs are being implemented.

"Qingdao is a water-scarcity city, it faces serious water shortages and the groundwater supply cannot meet the demand, and Qingdao is a very fast economic development area. Qingdao considers to use water from desalination, but desalination requests a lot of energy and request a lot of cost to produce water."

Doctor Wang Lei with the World Wide Fund for Nature in China says another issue is maintaining the resources which live in the waters in China.

"We need to have a full picture about what we gain and what we lose, at the same time make sure the loss should minimized."

Conservationists taking part in this week's workshops are expected to focus on numerous areas, including conservation and the treatment of waste water.

Around 100 people are taking part in the sessions.

For CRI, this is Chen Xuefei reporting from Stockholm.