At the 2025 Global Health & Purpose Summit, as part of People & Planet United, presented by FINN Partners, HITLAB, The Galien Foundation, and 1BusinessWorld, during New York City Health Innovation Week, global leaders convene to address the urgent necessity of securing water as a fundamental human right. Moderated by Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, CEO of We Don’t Have Time North America and a prominent behavioral scientist, the session features critical insights from Eyal Harel, CEO of BlueGreen Water Technologies, and Kerry Duggan, Founder and Managing Partner of Energy Security Partners. Together, they explore how innovation, collaboration, and policy can ensure equitable access to clean water—an essential resource for human survival and environmental health.
A Personal Commitment to Water Security
The conversation begins with personal reflections that reveal the profound connection each leader maintains with water. Kerry Duggan shares her personal bond with Lake Erie, emphasizing how growing up on its shores shapes her lifelong dedication to water protection. “As a Michigander, water stewardship is fundamental to who I am,” Duggan asserts, noting that water comprises 60% of the human body, making access to clean water undeniably a basic human right.
Professionally, Duggan applies her expertise to BlueGreen Water Technologies’ mission, specifically highlighting the urgent need to address harmful algal blooms that threaten water safety in Lake Erie and beyond.
Eyal Harel further emphasizes the critical role of water in the global environmental crisis. He explains how water security often receives insufficient attention compared to greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity, despite its central role in climate stability. Harel’s personal and professional journey intertwines, driven initially by his brother’s pioneering research into cyanobacteria—the organisms behind toxic algal blooms. This research leads directly to BlueGreen Water Technologies’ development and its global mission to restore contaminated water ecosystems.
Transforming Toxic Algae into Climate Solutions
Central to their conversation is BlueGreen Water Technologies’ groundbreaking innovation that addresses harmful algal blooms, an escalating global environmental crisis triggered by pollution and climate change. Harel describes how the company’s unique approach induces a natural biological process called programmed cell death within toxic algae populations. This revolutionary method effectively eradicates harmful blooms, enabling lakes and waterways to restore themselves naturally.
The removal of toxic algae significantly improves biodiversity, water safety, and public health. Crucially, this process also results in considerable carbon sequestration, making these water cleanup projects eligible to generate carbon credits. Harel outlines how these carbon credits can sustainably finance water restoration initiatives, particularly in communities with limited resources, thereby creating a positive feedback loop of environmental, economic, and social benefits.
Building Trust Through Community Engagement
Recognizing that technology alone is insufficient for sustainable environmental solutions, Duggan highlights the necessity of authentic community engagement. She describes community trust as a cornerstone for success, emphasizing the importance of listening carefully to local needs before introducing environmental solutions.
Duggan outlines a clear methodology for effective community collaboration: mapping local stakeholders, building relationships with trusted local leaders, and transparently providing validated technical support. This approach ensures communities actively shape and embrace their own environmental future. “Genuine community engagement,” Duggan stresses, “ensures lasting and meaningful impact.”
Scaling Environmental and Economic Benefits
Harel and Duggan illustrate the scalability and economic viability of this model. They describe how projects that address water contamination also deliver measurable economic benefits, making them highly attractive investments. By generating carbon credits, communities can finance continued environmental restoration without relying solely on philanthropy or short-term grants.
Harel highlights the potential to scale the solution globally, mentioning a realistic scenario of restoring 1,500 lakes across Africa. Such initiatives could positively impact over 250 million people while generating approximately half a gigaton of carbon credits annually. The economic case for such projects is compelling, as relatively modest investments yield substantial environmental, health, and economic returns.
Cross-sector Partnerships for Global Impact
Both leaders underscore the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration. Duggan emphasizes the need for innovative alliances that transcend traditional environmental partnerships, involving major industries such as agriculture, fashion, automotive, aviation, and construction. Rather than framing these industries as opponents, she advocates engaging them as partners in shared sustainability goals.
Harel extends this perspective by highlighting international cooperation mechanisms like Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, suggesting that collaboration with governments can transform environmental liabilities—like contaminated lakes—into assets. These partnerships can help governments and corporations fulfill their carbon-offsetting obligations, creating financial incentives for ongoing environmental restoration.
The Lasting Significance of Securing Water Rights
The discussion at the 2025 Global Health & Purpose Summit highlights the enduring importance of water as a foundational human right. By presenting a replicable model that integrates scientific innovation, community collaboration, economic incentives, and international partnerships, Duggan and Harel articulate a sustainable pathway forward.
Their collective vision underscores the necessity—and the possibility—of safeguarding water resources to improve public health, mitigate climate change, and support global equity. The strategies they propose demonstrate clearly that securing access to clean water is not merely an environmental priority but a crucial driver of human dignity, economic vitality, and global resilience, ultimately benefiting both people and the planet.
