IBM and Aquaterra Co-operate

IBM and Amsterdam RAI are co-operating for the Aquaterra 2009 conference. IBM is prominently represented during the three-day event. The co-operation is important to Amsterdam RAI as IBM is a globally operating ICT company with water management as one of its focus points. IBM expects that the sponsorship agreement will draw the attention of the industry to the solutions IT can offer in innovating water management.

IBM has selected water management as one of its spearheads. In 2006, the ICT company decided to invest 100 million dollars in ten new spheres of activity. In response to increasing concerns with regards to climate change and the possible consequences for low-lying coastal areas, IBM decided to work on developing water systems as one of these ten. "The impact of climate change relates to many features of IBM, in particular in deltaic regions worldwide. Insurance companies, the oil- and gas industry, government bodies and the transport business all ask themselves how to go along with consequences of climate change," says Donker. The company recently established a Global Centre of Excellence for Watermanagement in Amsterdam to coordinate activities worldwide.

The IBM Global Centre of Excellence for Watermanagement will significantly contribute to Aquaterra 2009. The centre is already closely involved with the Dutch Flood Control 2015 project for electronic dyke protection and monitoring. IBM is also developing an observation system for the New York Hudson River and the Galway Bay in Ireland. The Centre cooperates as well with The Nature Conservancy in developing a computer model for simulating river basins and to develop a method for sustainable use of the Parana river in Brasil.