Speech by Stientje Van Veldhoven, State Secretary of Infrastructure and Water Management, at the Launch of the Valuing Water Initiative, New York

'Why is water cheaper than diamonds? It’s a well-known paradox, something that has puzzled thinkers for centuries, from Plato to Copernicus and Adam Smith. Water is essential for all life. Compare that to a diamond, which doesn’t do much more than sparkle! Don’t get me wrong: I don’t think water should cost more than diamonds. But, too often, no one thinks twice about using water.'