Climate initiative for clean desalination technologies

The Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance (GCWDA) was launched at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference COP21 in December of 2015 in Paris. Gathered under the Lima Paris Action Plan (LPPA), the GCWDA is dedicated to take actions to significantly reduce CO2 emission in the desalination industry. Mascara is one of the founding members of this climate initiative.

Seawater desalination is an industrial process requiring a high energy density. Today’s desalination industry is responsible for the emission of more than 80 million tons of CO2 every year. With the demographic growth and climate change, desalination offers an alternative to address the growing need for fresh water. However, the significant greenhouse emissions caused by the power generated to supply the industry’s electric need dangerously hinders the sector’s technology sustainability.

GCWDA follow a holistic approach for actions aimed at fostering a speedier transition to use energy efficient and cost effective desalination technologies and clean energy for the production of drinking water, capable of meeting the growing needs of clean water worldwide. While alternative desalination solutions are multiplying, GCWDA welcomes all categories of actors such as utilities, industries, research organizations, universities, NGOs, associations, financial institutions, local authorities and governments. The Alliance is setting an ambitious target of clean energy supply for desalination plants :