David Wilkes is associate director of Arup and the new global president of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). A specialist in river and coastal engineering, his work covers master planning and development, and the wise management of resources.
A graduate of the University of Durham, Wilkes is a fellow of CIWEM, a chartered engineer and a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Before joining Arup, he worked for the UK Environment Agency, where he managed the Thames Barrier, with responsibility for protecting London from the threats of flooding, among other missions.
Prior to a recent Hong Kong visit, he swaps e-mails with Rex Aguado on environmental science and what many consider to be the world's most precious and threatened resource - water.
What are the latest trends in water and environmental engineering?
The world is changing rapidly and this poses engineering and environmental challenges as we try to reach a balance between mankind and nature. There are three major concerns - global population growth, urbanisation and climate change.
We may be heading for the perfect storm scenario where global demand for water is predicted to increase by 30 per cent by 2030, along with an increase in demand for food and energy of 50 per cent.
It is also predicted that by 2030, over 60 per cent of the global population will live in cities. And the climate is changing, resulting in more volatile weather patterns, with droughts, floods and storms becoming more frequent.