Leo: “Water justice is the most pressing issue”

Leo Mensel from Germany has joined the 5^th group of young water professionals and their organizations from around Europe in EJWP. We live in a world where many people do not have access to safe and clean drinking water due to unjust distribution. Therefore environmental justice and climate justice are the most pressing issues”, states Leo. Here are their views and experiences with Water News Europe.

What is your current work position? And where are you from?

“I am project officer at the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA), which aims to bridge the gap between academia and science. I am responsible for two projects, iMermaid and PataFEST: one focusing on maritime protection, the other on potato diseases. Before, I worked with an environmental NGO on agriculture, nutrition, and maritime protection, which I really enjoy, as I grew up in Bremerhaven, a German town near the North Sea.”

What are some takeaways from EJWP?

“So far, I have really enjoyed working with motivated and knowledgeable colleagues in an informal capacity. My main takeaway was learning to let go of the (potentially German) tendency to wanting to always ‘act professional’. The group enabled me to join the meetings as myself and contribute my expertise, as well as personal insights. The scientific background of the other participants is incredibly helpful. My study focus was more on law than environmental sciences. Therefore, I enjoyed being able to ask a question on chemical compounds. And I was glad to provide the same assistance when it came to legal and political sciences.”

What are the opportunities and the challenges unique to young professionals in the water sector?

“I see the biggest challenges, but also opportunities around water – flooding, droughts, pollution, eutrophication – in their interconnectedness. You cannot solve one issue without addressing the other.  Therefore, I believe in solving the majority of issues when looking through a holistic lens. This can best be approached by reallocating rights to land and resources to groups including Indigenous peoples, Roma and Sinti.”

What topic do you see as increasingly important now and in the future?

“We live in a world where many people do not have access to safe and clean drinking water, while others flush it down the toilet. This is connected to so many issues (e.g. privatisation of water, extreme weather events, etc.) but mainly derives from the unjust distribution of and access to resources across the globe. Therefore, environmental justice and climate justice are the most pressing issues. This can best be approached by reallocating rights to land and resources to groups including indigenous peoples, Roma and Sinti, which are currently lacking access.”

What and where did you study?

“I obtained my bachelor’s in Global Law from the University of Tilburg in the Netherlands. My master’s in International Environmental Law is from the University of Uppsala in Sweden, and University of Eastern Finland and Arctic University in Tromso, Norway.”

Where and in which position would you like to be working in five years?

“I would like to continue working on citizen science, ideally toward education or law-related projects. As I am currently working on maritime pollution, I can see that the water sector will continue to play an important role in my personal and professional life.”