Sustainability Speaker Series - “Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability” by Brian Richter

Brian Richter is Chief Scientist for the Global Water Program of The Nature Conservancy, President of Sustainable Waters, and an author. Brian will highlight his experiences as a world leader in water science and conservation for more than 25 years, and his latest book Chasing Water: A Guide for Moving from Scarcity to Sustainability in which he tells a cohesive and complete story of water scarcity: where it is happening, what is causing it, and how it can be addressed.

Brian has consulted on more than 120 water projects worldwide. He serves as a water advisor to some of the world’s largest corporations, investment banks, and the United Nations, and has testified before the U.S. Congress on multiple occasions. He also teaches a course on Water Sustainability at the University of Virginia.

Brian has developed numerous scientific tools and methods to support river protection and restoration efforts, including the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration software that is being used by water managers and scientists worldwide. Brian was featured in a BBC documentary with David Attenborough on “How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth?” He has published many journal articles on ecologically sustainable water management, including a “water markets” reading required in the current Environmental Conflict Management course at MIIS.