Interview: Special Envoy for International Water Affairs Henk Ovink

In its latest issue of Terra et Aqua magazine, the International Association of Dredging Companies (IADC) released an interview with Mr Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water Affairs.

Henk Ovink was appointed by the Dutch Government to increase awareness and action for water security across the globe, and travels the world spreading the word to citizens and leaders alike.

During the interview he talked about the progress of the dredging industry in terms of sustainability?

Mr Ovink said: “We can learn a lot from the dredging industry. From its past and from its future. Our dredging industry in the Netherlands is pretty impressive. Both in scale as in intelligence.”

He continued: “What we acknowledge more and more is the experience and expertise they have built up. While the dredgers, from a sole ecological and sustainability perspective, partially come from the ‘wrong side of history’, making us more vulnerable and challenging the climate and our environment, they more and more change course, and become part of the right side of the future.”

“That is why they are such an inspiring industry and community. They are the real experts from practice and research. They have the people and the capacity, and they work from a systems’ perspective,” Mr Ovink added.

To read the whole interview, please go to IADC website.