Join the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment for a discussion with Barton "Buzz" Thompson, author of Liquid Asset, a new book examining how business and government can work together to address the world's growing freshwater crisis.

In Liquid Asset, Thompson explores the increasing role of private businesses and markets in water management, a sector traditionally dominated by governmental agencies. Thompson argues that private sector involvement brings innovative technologies, institutions, and financing that the public sector alone cannot provide, but this shift raises important questions about accountability, equity, and the public interest.

Drawing on decades of research and practice at the intersection of law, policy, and environmental science, Thompson offers a detailed account of how the private sector is reshaping “the business of water”. From infrastructure investment to water markets to new conservation financing models, the book maps both the promise and the pitfalls of growing private involvement in a historically public field.

In this discussion, Thompson will share insights from his research and writing, explore the evolving relationship between public and private actors in water management, and discuss what policymakers, businesses, and communities can do to help solve the freshwater crisis.

For more information, contact: woods-events@stanford.edu

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