Jeremy Bird

Former Director General, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Colombo, Sri Lanka

Ex officio member of the WLE Steering Committee

Jeremy Bird specializes in water resources policy, management and institutions and joined IWMI in October 2012, after having been CEO of the Mekong River Commission for three years. He left his post as DG in September of 2017.

Jeremy started his career as a chartered civil engineer before moving into the water sector in the mid-1980s with master’s degrees in irrigation engineering and later water law and policy. Jeremy’s varied career includes research and consultancy work across Asia and Africa and experience with project development for the Asian Development Bank. From 1998 to 2001, he was a part of the Secretariat of the World Commission on Dams and then coordinated the follow-up activity, the Dams and Development Project with UNEP.

As an independent consultant, he has undertaken policy compliance assessments on hydropower projects for a number of development banks. In 2011, he advised the German government on the Bonn Conference on Water, Food and Energy Security.

Content authored by Jeremy Bird

News
November 10, 2016
Greater Mekong region needs innovative water plan
The recurrent threat of both flooding and drought looms large over many parts of the Mekong region. This variability is natural but is increasing due to climate change. Their destructive effects can be either relieved or compounded depending on the way dams are operated.
- Jeremy Bird
Blog Post
Blog Post
August 10, 2016
Stronger together: unlocking Africa's food production potential
The African continent has the potential be one of the world's food-producing powerhouses, but agriculture has lagged behind other sectors across the region. Strong cross-sector partnerships will necessary to ensure the development of Africa's food production abilities.
- Jeremy Bird
Africa Water Week
Blog Post
Blog Post
March 21, 2016
Better water, better jobs
What is the link between jobs and water? That may be obvious to those who work in utilities or build water infrastructure, but these sectors represent only a fraction of the jobs that water actually supports.
- Jeremy Bird
Big Question: Responses
March 21, 2014
A holistic approach to dams
With dams - big and small - the issues collide in what is increasingly referred to as the “water-energy-food nexus.” They also have wide environmental and social footprints that require careful attention to ensure impacts are manageable and benefits are shared more broadly.
- Jeremy Bird
Blog Post
Blog Post
September 28, 2013
Game Changers Poised to Boost Irrigated Agriculture
The First World Irrigation Forum in Mardin, Turkey, gives us a chance to take stock on how irrigated agriculture is performing and its role in meeting future demands for food. In agricultural water management, we often appear to be talking about the same issues as three decades ago...
- Jeremy Bird
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