Events / 2021

Water Financialization

Talk – Online

Date: 24 March, 2021

In December of 2020, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange launched the world’s first water futures market, allowing investors to bet on the future price of water rights in California. This raised global alarms about the financialization of water resources and the threat of Wall Street speculation on water prices and scarcity. This webinar will provide an introduction to futures trading and water markets and discuss the implications for water activists around the world.

Organized by Food & Water Watch, Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, the Transnational Institute and the Blue Planet Project, the webinar will address the issue and will include the perspectives of scholars and activists from the north and south.

CUW’s founder Marcela López will be participated in the event to discuss water financialization in the global south from the perspective of megaprojects such as hydroelectric power plants in Colombia.

In conversation with Maude Barlow, Anuradha Mittal, Steve Suppan, Emiliano Terán Mantovani and Shiney Varghese.

The discussion was recorded and can be accessed in Spanish here and English here

Public Services and Inequalities in Medellín

Talk – Online

Date: 03 March, 2021

The women’s political movement “Estamos Listas” (We are Ready!) organized a series of talks to critically discuss the role of Public Enterprises of Medellín (EPM) in the urban development of the city, and its responsibility in the provision of basic public services. Also, it explores different alternatives to build a more equal city, secure citizenship participation, and demand from EPM access to safe, affordable and reliable public services.

CUW was invited to provide insights into the recent growth and expansion of Public Enterprises of Medellín (EPM), and how inequalities are reproduced in Medellín through the provision of water services.

In conversation with Dora Saldarriaga (Member of the City Council of Medellín) and William Trejos (Leader and Trade Unionist).

The discussion was recorded and can be accessed here